Class 

Book i_ Z_ 



. i 



INSTRUCTIONS 




/ 



\ 



THE 




BIBLE IN SPAIN; 




• OR, THE 

JOURNEYS, ADVENTURES, AND IMPRISONMENTS OF / ^^S^ 
AN ENGLISHMAN, / *f& ^ 



AN ATTEMPT TO CIRCULATE THE SCRIPTURES IN THE 

PENINSULA. 




[The lligld of Translation is reserved.] 




UNIFORM WITH THE PRESENT VOLUME. 



Post Svo, 5s. each. 



THE GIPSIES OF SPAIN; their Manners, Customs, Keligion, 
and Language. With Portrait. 



"Mr. Borroiv's ' Gipsies of Spain' carries with it such a freshness, such an 
animation, and such an air of truthfulness and nature, as to arrest our attention 
and engage our sympathies. We turn to it again with all the undiminished 
appetite of novelty, ready to wander once more in its wanderings, to conjecture once 
more with its conjectures, to laugh with its laughter, to meditate with its 
meditations." — Sun. 



LAYENGEO ; The Scholar— The Gipsy— and The Priest. 



"Mr. Sorrow's ' Lavengro ' is a remarkable book. The spirit of Le Sage and the 
genius of Sterne find new life in these pages. We find it difficult to convey to our 
readers a just notion of its varied attractions — its originality and power — its poetry, 
piety, philosophy, and learning." — Morning Pod. 



" Mr. Borrow 3 s ' Romany Rye' Let the tourist who writes his yearly volume of 
superficiality and twaddle read George Borrow and envy him. It is half a pity that 
such a man cannot go walking about for ever, for the benefit of people who are not 
gifted with legs so stout and eyes so discerning. May it be long before the ' Romany 
Rye ' lays by his satchel and bis staff, and ceases to interest and instruct the world 
with his narratives of travels." — Spectator. 



WILD WALES : Its People, Language, and Scenery. 



" Mr. Sorrow's 1 Wild Wales' A book on Wales, such as no Welshman could 
have written, an acquaintance with Welsh literature, such as very few of a strange 
nation could have displayed, varied knowledge, hearty disposition, honest judg- 
ment, and genial ideas, such as any man may well be proud of, may be found in 
this work."'— North Wales Chronicle. 



r 



THE EOMANY EYE : A Sequel to Lavengro. 



c 



c 



jjy tranef&t 




6 1915 



PREFACE. 



It is very seldom that the preface of a work is read ; indeed, of late years most 
books have been sent into the world without any. I deem it, however, advisable 
to write a preface, and to this I humbly call the attention of the courteous reader, 
as its perusal will not a little tend to the proper understanding and appreciation 
of these volumes. 

The work now offered to the public, and which is styled " The Bible ii? 
Spain-," consists of a narrative of what occurred to me during a residence in 
that country, to which I was sent by the Bible Society, as its agent for the 
purpose of printing and circulating the Scriptures. It comprehends, however, 
certain journeys and adventures in Portugal, and leaves me at last in " the land 
of the Corahai," to which region, after having undergone considerable buffeting 
in Spain, I found it expedient to retire for a season. 

It is very probable that had I visited Spain from mere curiosity, or with a 
view of passing a year or two agreeably, I should never have attempted to give 
any detailed account of my proceedings, or of what I heard and saw. I am no 
tourist, no writer of books of travels ; but I went there on a somewhat remark- 
able errand, which necessarily led me into strange situations and positions, in- 
volved me in difficulties and perplexities, and brought me into contact with 
people of all descriptions and grades ; so that, upon the whole, I flatter myself 
that a narrative of such a pilgrimage may not be wholly uninteresting to the 
public, more especially as the subject is not trite ; for, though various books 
have been published about Spain, I believe that the present is the only one in 
existence which treats of missionary labour in that country. 

Many things, it is true, will be found in the following volume which have 
little connexion with religion, or religious enterprise ; I offer, however, no 
apology for introducing them. I was, as I may say, from first to last adrift in 
Spain, the land of old renown, the land of wonder and mystery, with better op- 
portunities of becoming acquainted with its strange secrets and peculiarities than, 
perhaps, ever yet were afforded to any individual, certainly to a foreigner ; and 
if in many instances I have introduced scenes and characters perhaps unprece- 
dented in a work of this description, I have only to observe, that, during my 
sojourn in Spain, I was so unavoidably mixed up with such, that I could scarcely 
have given a faithful narrative of what befell me had I not brought them for- 
ward in the manner which I have done. 

It is worthy of remark, that, called suddenly and imexpectedly " to undertake 
the adventure of Spain," I was not altogether unprepared for such an enterprise. 
In the day-dreams of my boyhood, Spain always bore a considerable share, and 
I took a particular interest in her, without any presentiment that I should, at a 
future time, be called upon to take a part, however humble, in her strange 
dramas ; which interest, at a very early'^period, led me to acquire her noble 
language, and to make myself acquainted with her literature (scarcely worthy 
of the language), her history, and traditions ; so that when I entered Spain for 
the first time I felt more at home than I 'should otherwise have done. 

In Spain I passed five years, which, if not the most eventful, were, I have no 
hesitation in saying, the most happy years of my existence. Of Spain at the 
present time, now that the day-dream has vanished, never, alas ! to return, I 
entertain the warmest admiration : she is the most magnificent coiintry in the 
world, probably the most fertile, and certainly with the finest climate. Whether 
her children are worthy of their mother, is another question, which I shall not 
attempt to answer ; but content myself with observing that, amongst much that 
is lamentable and reprehensible, I have found much that is noble and to be ad- 

h 



PREFACE. 



mired: much stern heroic virtue; much savage and horrible crime; of lo\* 
vulgar vice very little, at least amongst the great body of the Spanish nation, 
with which my mission lay ; for it will be as well here to observe that I advance 
no claim to an intimate acquaintance with the Spanish nobility, from whom I 
kept as remote as circumstances would permit me ; en revanche, however, I have 
had the honour to live on familiar terms with the peasants, shepherds, and 
muleteers of Spain, whose bread and bacalao I have eaten ; who always treated 
me with kindness and courtesy, and to whom I ha^e not unfrequently been in- 
debted for shelter and protection. 

" The generous bearing of Francisco Gonzales, and the high deeds of 
Ruy Diaz the Cid, are still sung amongst the fastnesses of the Sierra 
Morena." * 

I believe that no stronger argument can be brought forward in proof of the 
natural vigour and resources of Spain, and the sterling character of her popula- 
tion, than the fact that, at the present day, she is still a powerful and unex- 
hausted country, and her children still, to a certain extent, a high-minded and 
great people. Yes, notwithstanding the misrule of the brutal and sensual 
Austrian, the doting Bourbon, and, above all, the spiritual tyranny of the court 
of Rome, Spain can still maintain her own, fight her own combat, and Spaniards 
are not yet fanatic slaves and crouching beggars. This is saying much, very 
much : she has undergone far more than Naples had ever to bear, and yet the 
fate of Naples has not been hers. There is still valour in Asturia, generosity in 
Aragon, probity in Old Castile, and the peasant women of La Mancha can still 
afford to place a silver fork and a snowy napkin beside the plate of their guest. 
Yes, in spite of Austrian, Bourbon, and Rome, there is still a wide gulf between 
Spain and Naples. 

Strange as it may sound, Spain is not a. fanatic country. I know something 
about her, and declare that she is not, nor has ever been : Spain never changes. 
It is true that, for nearly two centuries, she was the she-butcher, La Verduga, 
of malignant Rome ; the chosen instrument for carrying into effect the atrocious 
projects of that power ; yet fanaticism was not the spring which impelled her to 
the work of butchery : another feeling, in her the predominant one, was worked 
upon — her fatal pride. It was by humouring her pride that she was induced to 
waste her precious blood and treasure in the Low Country wars, to launch the 
Armada, and to many other equally insane actions. Love of Rome had ever 
slight influence over her policy ; but, flattered by the title of Gonfaloniera of 
the Vicar of Jesus, and eager to prove herself not unworthy of the same, she 
shut her eyes, and rushed upon her own destruction with the cry of " Charge, 
Spain ! " 

But the arms of Spain became powerless abroad, and she retired within her- 
self. She ceased to be the tool of the vengeance and cruelty of Rome. She 
was not cast aside, however. No ! though she could no longer wield the sword 
with success against the Lutherans, she might still be turned to some account. 
She had still gold and silver, and she was still the land of the vine and olive. 
Ceasing to be the butcher, she became the banker of Rome ; and the poor 
Spaniards, who always esteem it a privilege to pay another person's reckoning, 
were for a long time happy in being permitted to minister to the grasping 
cupidity of Rome, who, during the last century, probably extracted from Spain 
more treasure than from all the rest of Christendom. 

But wars came into the land. Napoleon and his fierce Franks invaded Spain ; 
plunder and devastation ensued, the effects of which will probably be felt for 
ages. Spain could no longer pay pence to Peter so freely as of yore, and from 
that period she became contemptible in the eyes of Rome, who has no respect 

* " Om Frauds Gonzales, og Rodrik Cid, 
End siunges t Sierra Murene !" 
Kronike Hiim. By Severin Grundtvig. Copenhagen, 1829 



PREFACE. 



for a nation, save so far as it can minister to her cruelty or avarice. The 
Spaniard was still willing to pay, as far as his means would allow, but he was 
soon given to understand that he was a degraded being, — a barbarian ; nay, a 
beggar. Now you may draw the last cuarto from a Spaniard, provided you 
will concede to him the title of cavalier, and rich man, for the old leaven still 
works as powerfully as in the time of the first Philip ; but you must never hint 
that he is poor, or that his blood is inferior to your own. And the old peasant, 
on being informed in what slight estimation he was held, replied, " If I am a 
beast, a barbarian, and a beggar withal, I am sorry for it ; but, as there is no 
remedy, I shall spend these four bushels of barley, which I had reserved to 
alleviate the misery of the holy father, in procuring bull spectacles, and other 
convenient diversions, for the queen my wife, and the young princes my chil- 
dren. Beggar ! carajo ! The water of my village is better than the wine of 
Rome." 

I see that in a late pastoral letter directed to the Spaniards, the father of 
Rome complains bitterly of the treatment which he has received in Spain at the 
hands of naughty men. " My cathedrals are let down," he says, " my priests 
are insulted, and the revenues of my bishops are curtailed." He consoles him- 
self, however, with the idea, that this is the effect of the malice of a few, and 
that the generality of the nation love him, especially the peasantry, the innocent 
peasantry, who shed tears when they think of the sufferings of their pope and 
their religion. Undeceive yourself, Batuschca, undeceive yourself! Spain was 
ready to fight for you so long as she could increase her own glory by doing so ; 
but she took no pleasure in losing battle after battle on your account. She had 
no objection to pay money into your coffers in the shape of alms, expecting, 
however, that the same would be received with the gratitude and humility 
which become those who accept charity. Finding, however, that you were 
neither humble nor grateful ; suspecting, moreover, that you held Austria in 
higher esteem than herself, even as a banker, she shrugged up her shoulders, 
and uttered a sentence somewhat similar to that which I have already put into 
the mouth of one of her children, " These four bushels of barley," &c. 

It is truly surprising what little interest the great body of the Spanish nation 
took in the late struggle ; and yet it has been called by some, who ought to know 
better, a war of religion and principle. It was generally supposed that Biscay 
was the stronghold of Carlism, and that the inhabitants were fanatically attached 
to their religion, which they apprehended was in danger. The truth is, that the 
Basques cared nothing for Carlos or Rome, and merely took up arms to defend 
certain rights and privileges of their own. For the dwarfish brother of Ferdi- 
nand they always exhibited supreme contempt, which his character, a compound 
of imbecility, cowardice, and cruelty, well merited. If they made use of his 
name, it was merely as a cri de guerre. Much the same may be said with respect 
to his Spanish partisans, at least those who appeared in the field for him. These, 
however, were of a widely different character from the Basques, who were brave 
soldiers and honest men. The Spanish armies of Don Carlos were composed 
entirely of thieves and assassins, chiefly Valencians and Manchegans, who, mar- 
shalled under two cut-throats, Cabrera and Palillos, took advantage of the dis- 
tracted state of the country to plunder and massacre the honest part of the com- 
munity. With respect to the Queen Regent Christina, of whom the less said the 
better, the reins of government fell into her hands on the decease of her husoand, 
and with them the command of the soldiery. The respectable part of the Spanish 
nation, and more especially the honourable and toil-worn peasantry, loathed and 
execrated both factions. Oft when I was sharing at nightfall the frugal fare of 
the villager of Old or New Castile, on hearing the distant shot of the Christine 
soldier or Carlist bandit, he would invoke curses on the heads of the two pre- 
tenders, not forgetting the holy father and the goddess of Rome, Maria Santis- 
sima. Then, with the tiger energy of the Spaniard when roused, he would start 

b-l 



PREFACE. 



up and exclaim, " Vamos, Don Jorge, to the plain, to the plain ! I wish to enlist 
with you, and to learn the law of the English. To the plain, therefore, to the 
plain to-morrow, to circulate the gospel of Ingalaterra." 

Amongst the peasantry of Spain I found my sturdiest supporters ; and yet the 
holy father supposes that the Spanish labourers are friends and lovers of his. 
Undeceive yourself, Batuschca ! 

But to return to the present work : it is devoted to an account of what befell 
me in Spain whilst engaged in distributing the Scripture. With respect to my 
poor labours, I wish here to observe, that I accomplished but very little, and 
that I lay claim to no brilliant successes and triumphs ; indeed I was sent into 
Spain more to explore the country, and to ascertain how far the minds of the 
people were prepared to receive the truths of Christianity, than for any other 
object ; I obtained, however, through the assistance of kind friends, permission 
from the Spanish government to print an edition of the sacred volume at Ma- 
drid, which I subsequently circulated in that capital and in the provinces. 

During my sojourn in Spain there were others who wrought good service in 
the Gospel cause, and of whose efforts it were unjust to be silent in a work of 
this description. Base is the heart which would refuse merit its meed ; and, 
however insignificant may be the value of any eulogium which can flow from a 
pen like mine, I cannot refrain from mentioning with respect and esteem a few 
names connected with Gospel enterprise. A zealous Irish gentleman, of the 
name of Graydon, exerted himself with indefatigable diligence in diffusing the 
light of Scripture in the province of Catalonia, and along the southern shores of 
Spain ; whilst two missionaries from Gibraltar, Messrs. Rule and Lyon, during 
one entire year, preached Evangelic truth in a church at Cadiz. So much suc- 
cess attended the efforts of these two last, brave disciples of the immortal Wesley, 
that there is every reason for supposing that, had they not been silenced, and 
eventually banished from the country, by the pseudo-liberal faction of the Mo- 
derados, not only Cadiz, but the greater part of Andalusia, would by this time? 
have confessed the pure doctrines of the Gospel, and have discarded for ever the 
last relics of popish superstition. 

More immediately connected with the Bible Society and myself, I am most 
happy to take this opportunity of speaking of Luis de Usoz y Rio, the scion of an 
ancient and honourable family of Old Castile, my coadjutor whilst editing the 
Spanish New Testament at Madrid. Throughout my residence in Spain I 
experienced every mark of friendship from this gentleman, who, during the 
periods of my absence in the provinces, and my numerous and long journeys, 
cheerfully supplied my place at Madrid, and exerted himself to the utmost in 
forwarding the views of the Bible Society, influenced by no other motive than a 
hope that its efforts would eventually contribute to the peace, happiness, and 
civilization of his native land. 

In conclusion, I beg leave to state that I am fully aware of the various faults 
and inaccuracies of the present work. It is founded on certain journals which 1 
kept during my stay in Spain, and numerous letters written to my friends in 
England, which they had subsequently the kindness to restore ; the greater part, 
however, consisting of descriptions of scenery, sketches of character, &c, has 
been supplied from memory. In various instances I have omitted the names of 
places, which I have either forgotten, or of whose orthography I am uncertain. 
The work, as it at present exists, was written in a solitary hamlet in a remote 
part of England, where I had neither books to consult, nor friends of whose 
opinion or advice I could occasionally avail myself, and under all the disad- 
vantages which arise from enfeebled health ; I have, however, on a recent occa- 
sion, experienced too much of .the lenity and generosity of the public, both of 
Britain and America, to shrink from again exposing myself to its gaze ; and trust 
that, if in the present volumes it fmd'but little to admire, it will give me credit 
for good spirit, and for setting down nought in malice. 

Nov. 26, 1842. 



CONTE N T S. 



CHAPTER I. 

Man Overboard — The Tagus — Foreign Lan- 
guages — Gesticulation — Streets of Lisbon 
— The Aqueduct — Bible tolerated in Por- 
tugal — Cintra — Don Sebastian — John de 
Castro — Conversation with a Priest — Col- 
hares — Mafra — Its Palace — The School- 
master — The Portuguese — Their Ignorance 
of Scripture — Rural Priesthood — The Alem- 
tejo page 1 

CHAPTER II. 

Boatmen of the Tagus — Dangers of the 
Stream — Aldea Gallega — The Hostelrv — 
Robbers — Sabocha — Adventure of a Mule- 
teer — Estalagem de Ladroes — uon liero- 
nimo — Vendas Novas — Royal Kesi^enee — 
Swine of the Alemtejo — Monte Moro — 
Swayne Vonved — Singular Goatherd — 
Children of the Fields — infidels and Sad- 
•ducees 8 

CHAPTER III. 

Shopkeeper at. Evora — Spanish Contraban- 
distas — Lion and Unicorn — The Fountain 
— Trust in the Almighty — Distribution of 
Tracts — Library at Evora — Manuscript — 
The Bible as a Guide — The infamous Marv 
—The Man of Palmella— The Charm— The 
Monkish System — Sunday — Volney — A n 
Auto da- fe — Men from Spain — Reading of 
a Tract — New Arrival — The Herb Rose- 
mary 14 

CHAPTER IV. 

Vexatious Delays — Drunken Driver — The 
Murdered Mule — The Lamentation — Ad- 
venture on the Heath — Fear of Darkness 
— Portuguese Fidalgo — The Escort — Return 
to Lisbon 20 

CHAPTER V. 

The College— The Rector — Shibboleth — 
National Prejudices — Youthful Sports — 
Jews of Lisbon — Crime and Supersti- 
tion « . . 25 

CHAPTER VI. 

bid of Portugal — Extortion prevented — Sen- 
sation of Loneliness—The Dog — The Con- 
vent — Enchanting Landscape — Moorish 
Fortresses — Prayer for the Sick «... 30 



CHAPTER VIL 

The Druids' Stone— The Young Spaniard — 
Ruffianly Soldiers — Evils of War — Estremol 

— The Brawl — Ruined Watch Tower — 
Glimpse of Spain — Old Times and New . 35 

CHAPTER VIII. 

El vas— Extraordinary Longevity — The Eng- 
lish Nation — Portuguese Ingratitude — Ilii- 
berality — Fortifications — Spanish Beggar — 
Badajoz — The Custom-House 40 

CHAPTER IX. 

Badaioz — Antonio the Gypsy — Antonio's 
I FroDosal — The Proposal accepted— Gypsy 
i JtSreakfast— Departure from b .dajoz — The 
f (rynsv Donkev— Merida — The Ruined Wall 
— The Crone - l'he Land of the Moor — 
The Black Men Life in the Desert — The 
Supper 45 

CHAPTER 

The Gypsy's Granddaughter — Proposed Mar- 
riage — The Alguazil — The Assault — Speedy 
Trot — Arrival at Trujillo — Night and Rain 
— The Forest — The Bivouac — Mount and 
away ! — Jaraicejo — The National — The Ca- 
valier Balmerson — Among the Thickets — 
Serious Discourse — What is Truth ? — Unex- 
pected Intelligence b2 

CHAPTER XI. 

The Pass of Mirabete — Wolves and Shepherds 
■ — Female Subtlety — Death by Wolves — The 
Mystery solved — The Mountains — The Dark 
Hour— The Traveller of the Night— Abar- 
benel— Hoarded Treasure — Force of Gold — 
The Archbishop — Arrival at Madrid . . 62 

CHAPTER XII. 

Lodging at Madrid — My Hostess — British 
Ambassador — Mendizabal — Baltazar — Du- 
ties of a National — Young Blood— The 
Execution — Population of Madrid — The 
Higher Orders — The Lower Classes — The 
Bull Fighter— The Crabbed Gitano ... 69 

CHAPTER XIII. 

Intrigues at Court — Quesada and Galiano — 
Dissolution of the Cortes — The Secretary — 
Aragonese Pertinacity — The Council of 
Trent— The Asturian— The Three Thieves 

— Benedict Mol — The Men of Lucerne — 
The Treasure 76 



viii 



CONTENTS. 



CHAPTER XIV. 

State of Spain — Isturitz — Revolution of the 
Granja — The Disturbance — Signs of Mis- 
chief — Newspaper Reporters - Quesada's 
Onslaught — The Closing Scene— Flight of 
the Moderados— The Coffee Bowl ... 82 

CHAPTER XV. 

The Steamer — Cape Finisterra — The Storm 
Arrival at Cadiz— The New Testament — 
Seville— Italica — The Amphitheatre — The 
Prisoners — The Encounter — Baron Taylor 
— The Street and Desert ....... 88 

CHAPTER XVI. 

Departure for Cordova — Carmona — German 
Colonies — Language — The Sluggish Horse 
— Nocturnal Welcome — Carlist Landlord — 
Good Advice — Gomez — The Old Genoese — 
The Two Opinions 94 

CHAPTER XVII. 

Cordova — Moors of Barbary — The English — 
An Old Priest — The Roman Breviary — The 
Dovecote — The Holy Oflice — Judaism — De- 
secration of Dovecotes — The Innkeeper's 
Proposal 100 

CHAPTER XVIII. 

Departure from Cordova— The Contrabandista 
— Jewish Cunning — Arrival at Madrid . luG 

CHAPTER XIX. 

Arrival at Madrid — Maria Diaz — Printing of 
the Testament — My Project — Andalusian 
Steed — Servant wanted— An Application — 
Antonio Buchini — General Cordova— Prin- 
ciples of Honour 108 

CHAPTER XX. 

Illness — Nocturnal Visit — A Master Mind — 
The Whisper — Salamanca — Irish Hospi- 
tality — Spanish Soldiers — The Scriptures 
advertised 114 

CHAPTER XXI. 

Departure from Salamanca — Reception at 
Pitiegua — The Dilemma — Sudden Inspir- 
ation — The Good Presbyter— Combat of 
Quadrupeds — Irish Christians — Plains of 
Spain—The Catalans— The Fatal Pool— 
Valladolid — Circulation of the Scripture — 
Philippine Missions — English College — 
A Conversation — The Gaoleress . . .118 

CHAPTER XXII. 

Duenas — Children of E<;vpt — Jockevism — 
The Baggage Pony— The Fall— Pal'encia— 
Carlist Priests — The Look-out — Priestly 
Sincerity— Leon— Antonio alarmed — Heat 
and Dust 127 

CHAPTER XXIII. 

Astorga— The Inn— The Maragatos— Habits 
of the Maragatos — The Statue . . . .133 



CHAPTER XXIV. 

Departure from Astorga — The Venta — Thb 
Bv-path — Narrow Escape — The Cup oi 
Water— Sun and Shade— Bembibre — Con- 
vent of the Rocks — Sunset— Cacabelos— 
Midnight Adventure— Villafranca , . 136 

CHAPTER XXV. 

Villafranca— The Pass — Gallegan Simplicity — 
The Frontier Guard— The Horse-shoe — 
Gallegan Peculiarities — A Word on Lan- 
guage -The Courier — Wretched Cabins — 

. 143 



gunge — ui« v^uurier — >* reicneu 
Host and Guests — Andalusians . 



CHAPTER XXVI. 

Lugo— The Baths— A Family History— Mi- 
guelets— The Three Heads — A Farrier — 
English Squadron— Sale of Testaments — 
Cor una — The Recognition — Luigi Piozzi — 
The Speculation — A Blank Prospect — John 
Moore 149 

CHAPTER XXVII. 

Compostella — Rey Romero — The Treasure- 
seeker — Hopeful Project — The Cuurch of 
Refuge— Hidden Riches— The Canon — Spi- 
rit of Localism — The Leper — Bonos of Saint 
James 156 

CHAPTER XXVIII. 

Skippers of Padron — Caldos de los Reyes — 
Pontevedra — The Notary Public — Insane 
Barber — An Introduction — Gallegan Lan- 
guage — Afternoon Ride — Vigo — The 
Stranger — Jews of the Desert — Bay of Vigo 
— Sudden Interruption — The Governor 162 

CHAPTER XXIX. 

Arrival at Padron — Projected Enterprise — The 
Alquilador — Breach of Promise — An Odd 
Companion— A Plain Story — Rugged Paths 
— The Desertion — The Pony — A Dialogue — 
Unpleasant Situation — The Estadea — Be- 
nighted- The Hut— The Traveller's Pil- 
low 169 

CHAPTER XXX. 

Autumnal Morning^ — The World's End — Cor- 
cuvion— Duyo — The Cape — A Whale— The 
Outer Bay — The Arrest — The Fisher-Ma- 
gistrate — Calros Rey — Hard of Belief — 
Where is your Passport ? — The Beach — A 
mighty Liberal — The Handmaid — The 
Grand Baintham — Eccentric Book — Hos- 
pitality 177 

CHAPTER XXXI. 

Coruna — Crossing the Bay — Ferrol — The 
Dock-Yard — Where are we now ? — Greek 
Ambassador — Lantern- Light — The Ravine 
■ — Viveiro— Evening — Marsh imd Quagmire 
— Fair Words and Fair Money — The Lea 
theru Girth — Eyes of Lynx— -The Knavish 
Guide . « . . . 186 

CHAPTER XXXII. 

Martin of Rivadeo — The Factious Mare— As- 
turians — Luarca — The Seven Bellotas — 
Hermits — The Asturian's Tale — Strange 



CONTENTS. 



IX 



CHAPTER XXXIII. 

Oviedo — The Ten Gentlemen — The Swiss 
again— Modest Request— The^ Robbers- 
Episcopal Benevolence 
Portrait of Feijoo . . 



The Cathedral 



199 



CHAPTER XXXIV. 



Departure from Oviedo — Villa Viciosa — The 
Young Man of the Inn — Antonio's Tale — 
The General and his Family — Woful Tid- 
ings — To-morrow we Die — San Vincente — 
Santander — An Harangue — Flinter the 
Irishman 204 

CHAPTER XXXV. 

Departure from Santander — The Night Alarm 
The Black Pass 210 

CHAPTER XXXVI. 

State of Affairs at Madrid— The New Ministry 
— Pope of Rome — The Bookseller of Toledo 
— Sword Blades — Houses of Toledo — The 
Forlorn Gypsy — Proceedings at Madrid — 
Another Servant 212 

CHAPTER XXXVII 

Euscarra — Basque not Irish — Sanscrit and 
Tartar Dialects — A Vowel Language - Po- 
pular Poetry —The Basques— Their Persons 
— Basque Women 217 

CHAPTER XXXVIII. 

The Prohibition — Gospel persecuted — Charge 
of Sorcery— Ofalia 22 1 

CHAPTER XXXIX 

The Two Gospels— The Alguazil— The War- 
rant — The Good Maria — The Arrest — Sent 
to Prison — Reflections — The Reception — 
The Prison Room — Redress demanded . 224 



CHAPTER XL. 

falia— The Juez— Carcel de la Corte — Sun- 
day in Prison — Robber Dress — Father and 
Son — Characteristic Behaviour — The 
Frenchman — Prison Allowance — Valley of 
the Shadow — Pure Castilian— Balseiro — The 
Cave — Robber Glory 230 

CHAPTER XLI. 

Maria Diaz — Priestly Vituperation — Antonio's 
Visit — Antonio at Service — A Scene — Bene- 
dict Mol — Wandering in Spain— The Four 
Evangiles 23s 

CHAPTER XLH, 

Liberation from Prison — The Apology — Hu- 
man Nature — The Greek's Return — Church 
of Rome— Light of Scripture— Archbishop 
of Toledo — An Interview— Stones of Price 
— A Resolution — The Foreign Language — 
Benedict's Farewell — Treasure Hunt at 
Compostella— Truth and Fiction . . . 242 



CHAPTER XLIII. 

Villa Seca — Moorish House — The Puchera — 
The Rustic Council — Polite Ceremonial — 
The Flower of Spain — The Bridge of Azeca 
—The Ruined Castle— Taking the Field — 
Demand for the Word — The Old Peasant — 
The Curate and Blacksmith— Cheapness of 
the Scriptures 249 

CHAPTER XLIV 

Aranjuez— A Warning — A Night Adventuie 
— A fresh Expedition— Segovia — Abades — 
Factious Curas — Lopez in Prison — Rescue 
of Lopez 256 

CHAPTER XLV. 

Return to Spain— Seville — A hoary Perse- 
cutor — Manchegan Prophetess— Antonio'3 
Dream 261 

CHAPTER XLVT. 

Work of Distribution resumed — Adventure at 
Cobenna — Power of the Clergy — Rural Au- 
thorities — Fuentela Higuera — Victorian o's 
Mishap— Village Prison — The Rope — Anto- 
nio's Errand — Antonio at Mass .... 264 

CHAPTER XL VI I. 

Termination of our Rural Labours — Alarm of 
the Clergy — A New Experiment — Success 
at Madrid— Goblin-Alguazil— Staff of Office 
The Corregidor — An Explanation — The 
Pope in England — New Testament ex- 
pounded — Works of Luther 269 

CHAPTER XLVIII. 

Projected Journey — A Scene of Blood — The 
Friar — Seville - Beauties of Seville — Orange 
Trees and Flowers — Murillo — The Guar- 
dian Angel — Dionysius — My Coadjutors — 
Demand for the Bible 274 

CHAPTER XLIX. 

The Solitary House — The Dehesa — Johannes 
Chrysostom — Manuel — Bookselling at Se- 
ville — Dionysius and the Priests — Athens 
and Rome — Proselytism — Seizure of Testa- 
ments — Departure from Seville .... 279 

CHAPTER L. 

Night on the Guadalquivir — Gospel Light — 
Bonan-za — Strand of San Lucar — Andalusian 
Scenery — History of a Chest — Cosas de los 
Ingleses— The Two Gypsies — The Driver — 
The Red Nightcap— The Steam Boat- 
Christian Language 284 

CHAPTER LI. 

Cadiz — The Fortifications — The Consul-Ge- 
neral — Characteristic Anecdote — Catalan 
Steamer ■ — Trafalgar — Alonzo Guzman — 
Gibil Muza — Orestes Frigate — The Hostile 
Lion — Works of the Creator. — Lizard of the 
Rock — The Concourse — Queen of the Wa- 
ters—Broken Prayer 290 



X 



CONTENTS* 



CHAPTER LII. 

Tlie Jolh Hosteler — Aspirants for Glory — A 
Portrait — Hamalos — Solomons — An Expe- 
dition — The Yeoman Soldier — The Excava- 
tions — The Pull by the Skirt — Judah and 
his Father — Judah's Pilgrimage— The Bushy 
Beard — The False Moors — Judah and the 
King's Son — Premature Old Age . . . 298 

CHAPTER LI II. 

Genoese Mariners — St. Michael's Cave — Mid- 
night Abysses — Young American — A Slave 
Proprietor— The Fairy Man— infidelity 306 

CHAPTER LIV. 

\gain on Board — The Strange Visage — The 
Hadji — Setting Sail — The Two Jews — Ame- 
rican Vessel — Tangier — Adun Ouiem — The 
Struggle— The Forbidden Thing . . . 310 



CHAPTER LV. 

The Mole— The Two Moors— Djmah of Tan- 
gier — House of God — British Consul — Curi. 
ous Spectacle — The Moorish House — Joanna 
Correa — Ave Maria 315 

CHAPTER LVL 

The Mahasni — Sin Samani — The Bazaar — 
Moorish Saints— See the Avana! — The 
Prickly Fig— Jewish Graves— The Place of 
Carcases — The Stable Boy — Horses of the 
Moslem— Dar Dwag 319 

CHAPTER LVIL 

Strange Trio — The Mulatto — The Peace-oder- 
ing — Moors of Granada — Vive la Guadeloupe 
— The Moors — Pascual Fava — Blind Alge 
rine — The Retreat 32; 




BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



CHAPTER I. 



Man overboard— The Tagus— Foreign Languages— Gesticulation — Streets of Lisbon — The 
Aqueduct — Bible tolerated in Portugal— Cintra— Don Sebastian— John de Castro— Conver 
sation with a Priest— Col hares— Mafra — Its Palace— The Schoolmaster— The Portuguese — 
Their Ignorance of Scripture— Rural Priesthood — The Alemtejo. 



On the morning of the 1 Oth of Novem- | 
ber, 1835, I found myself off the coast j 
of Galicia. whose lofty mountains, j 
gilded hy the rising sun, presented a j 
magnificent appearance. I was bound j 
for Lisbon ; we passed Cape Finisterre, ! 
and, standing farther out to sea, speedily 
lost sight of land. On the morning of 
the 1 1th the sea was very rough, and 
a remarkable circumstance occurred. 
I was on the forecastle, discoursing 
with two of the sailors : one of them, 
who had but just left his hammock, 
said, "I have had a strange dream, 
which I do not much like; for," con- 
tinued he, pointing up to the mast, I 
dreamt that I fell into the sea from the 
cross-trees." He was heard to say this 
by several of the crew besides myself. 
A moment after, the captain of the ves- 
sel, perceiving that the squall was in- 
creasing, ordered the topsails to be 
taken in, whereupon this man, with 
several others, instantly ran aloft ; the 
yard was in the act of being hauled 
down, when a sudden gust of wind 
whirled it round with violence, and a 
man was struck down from the cross- 
trees into the sea, which was working I 
like yeast below. In a short time he I 
emerged ; I saw his head on the crest 
of a billow, and instantly recognised in 
the unfortunate man the sailor who, a 
few moments before, had related his 

n 



dream. I shall never forget the look 
of agony he cast whilst the steamer 
hurried past him. The alarm was 
given, and everything was in confu- 
sion ; it was two minutes at least be- 
fore the vessel was stopped, by which 
time the man was a considerable way 
astern ; I still, however, kept my eye 
upon him, and could see that he was 
struggling gallantly with the waves. 
A boat was at length lowered, but the 
rudder was unfortunately not at hand, 
and only two oars could be procured, 
with which the men could make but 
little progress in so rough a sea, They 
did their best, however, and had ar- 
rived within ten yards of the man, who 
still struggled for his life, when I lost 
sight of him ; and the men, on their 
return, said that they saw him below 
the water, at glimpses, sinking deeper 
and deeper, his arms stretched out and 
his body apparently stiff, but that they 
found it impossible to save him : pre- 
sently after, the sea, as if satisfied with 
the prey which it had acquired, became 
comparatively calm. The poor fellow 
who perished in this singular manner 
was a fine young man of twenty-seven, 
the only son of a widowed mother ; he 
was the best sailor on board, and was 
beloved by all who were acquainted 
with him. This event occurred on the 
11th of November, 1835; the vessel 

R 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



[chap. I, 



was the London Merchant steam-ship. 
Truly wonderful are the ways of Pro- 
vidence ! 

That same night we entered the 
Tagus, and dropped anchor before the 
old tower of Belem ; early the next 
morning we weighed, and, proceeding 
onward about a league, we again an- 
chored at a short distance from the 
Caesodre, or principal quay of Lisbon. 
Here we lay for some hours beside the 
enormous black hulk of the Rainha 
Nao, a man-of-war which in old times 
so captivated the eye of Nelson, that he 
would fain have procured it for his 
native country. She was, long subse- 
quently, the admiral's ship of the Mi- 
guelite squadron, and had been cap- 
tured by the gallant Napier about three 
years previous to the time of which I 
am speaking. 

The Eainha Nao is said to have 
caused him more trouble than all the 
other vessels of the enemy ; and some 
assert that, had the others defended 
tficmservi.s with half the fury which 
the old vixen queen displayed, the re- 
sult of the battle which decided the 
fate of Portugal would have been widely 
different. 

I found disembarkation at Lisbon to 
be a matter of considerable vexation ; 
the custom-house officers were exceed- 
ingly uncivil, and examined every ar- 
ticle of my little baggage with most 
provoking minuteness. 

My first impression on landing in 
the Peninsula was by no means a fa- 
vourable one ; and I had scarcely 
pressed the soil one hour before I 
heartily wished myself back in Russia, 
a country which I had quitted about 
one month previous, and where I had 
left cherished friends and w r arm affec- 
tions. 

After having submitted to much ill 
usage and robbery at the custom-house, 
I proceeded in quest of a lodging, and 
at last found one, but dirty and expen- 
sive. The next day I hired a servant, 
a Portuguese, it being my invariable 
custom, on arriving in a country, to 
avail myself of the services of a native, 
chiefly with the view of perfecting my- 
self in the language ; and, being already 
r-cqaainted with most of the principal 



language and dialects of the east and 
the west, I am soon able to make my- 
self quite intelligible to the inhabitants. 
In about a fortnight I found myself con- 
versing in Portuguese with considerable 
nuency. 

Those who wish to make themselves 
understood by a foreigner in his own 
language should speak with much noise 
and vociferation, opening their mouths 
wide. Is it surprising that the English 
are, in general, the worst linguists in 
the world, seeing that they pursue a 
system diametrically opposite ? For 
example, when they attempt to speak 
Spanish — the most sonorous tongue in 
existence — they scarcely open their lips, 
and, putting their hands in their pockets, 
fumble lazily, instead of applying them 
to the indispensable office of gesticula- 
tion. Well may the poor Spaniards 
exclaim, Tlxese English talk so crab- 
bedly, that Satan himself would not be 
able to understand them. 

Lisbon is a huge ruinous city, still 
exhibiting, in almost every direction, 
the vestiges of that terrific visitation of 
God, the earthquake, which shattered 
it some eighty years ago. It stands on 
seven hills, the loftiest of which is oc- 
cupied by the castle of Saint George, 
which is the boldest and most promi- 
nent object to the eye, whilst surveying 
the city from the Tagus. The most 
frequented and busy parts of the city 
are those comprised within the valley 
to the north of this elevation. 

Here you find the Plaza of the In- 
quisition, the principal square in Lisbon, 
from which run parallel, towards the 
liver, three or four streets, amongst 
which are those of the gold and silver, 
so designated from being inhabited by 
smiths cunning in the working of those 
metals ; they are, upon the whole, very 
magnificent. The houses are huge, 
and as high as castles. Immense pil- 
lars defend the causeway at intervals, 
producing, however, rather a cumbrous 
effect. These streets are quite level, 
and are well paved, in which respect 
they differ from all the others in Lis- 
bon. The most singular street, how- 
ever, of all is that of the Alemcrin, or 
"Rosemary, which debouches on the 
Caesodre'. It is very precipitous, and 



CHAP. I.] 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



is occupied on either side by the palaces 
of the principal Portuguese nobility, 
massive and frowning, but grand and 
picturesque edifices, with here and there 
a hanging garden, overlooking the street 
at a great height. 

With all its ruin and desolation, Lis- 
bon is unquestionably the most remark- 
able city in the Peninsula, and, perhaps, 
in the south of Europe. It is not my 
intention to enter into minute details 
concerning it; I shall content myself 
with remarking, that it is quite as much 
deserving the attention of the artist as 
even Eome itself. True it is that though 
it abounds with churches it has no gi- 
gantic cathedral, like St. Peter's, to at- 
tract the eye and fill it with wonder, 
yet I boldly say that there is no monu- 
ment of man's labour and skill, pertain- 
ing either to ancient or modern Rome, 
for whatever purpose designed, which 
can rival the water-works of Lisbon ; I 
mean the stupendous aqueduct whose 
principal arches cross the valley to the 
north-east of Lisbon, and which dis- 
charges its little runnel of cool and de- 
licious water into the rocky cistern 
within that beautiful edifice called the 
Mother of the Waters, from whence all 
Lisbon is supplied with the crystal 
lymph, though the source is seven 
leagues distant. Let travellers devote 
one entire morning to inspecting the 
Arcos and the Mai das agoas, after 
which they may repair to the English 
church and cemetery, Pere-la-Chaise in 
miniature, where, if they be of England, 
they may well be excused if they kiss 
the cold tomb, as I did, of the author 
of " Amelia," the most singular genius 
which their island ever produced, whose 
works it has long been the fashion to 
abuse in public and to read in secret. 
In the same cemetery rest the mortal 
remains of Doddridge, another English 
author of a different stamp, but justly 
admired and esteemed. I had not in- 
tended, on disembarking, to remain long 
in Lisbon, nor indeed in Portugal ; my 
destination was Spain, whither I shortly 
proposed to direct my steps, it being 
the intention of the Bible Society to at- 
tempt to commence operations in that 
country, the object of which should be 
the distribution of the word of God, for 



Spain had hitherto been a region barred 
against the admission of the Bible ; not 
so Portugal, where, since the revolu- 
tion, the Bible had been permitted both 
to be introduced and circulated. Little, 
however, had been accomplished ; there- 
fore, finding myself in the country, I 
determined, if possible, to effect some- 
thing in the way of distribution, but 
first of all to make myself acquainted 
as to how far the people were disposed 
to receive the Bible, and whether the 
state of education in general would per- 
mit them to turn it to much account. 
I had plenty of Bibles and Testaments 
at my disposal, but could the people 
read them, or would they? A friend 
of the Society to whom I was recom- 
mended was absent from Lisbon at the 
period of my arrival ; this I regretted, 
as he could have afforded me several 
useful hints. In order, however, that 
no time might be lost, I determined not 
to wait for his arrival, but o.t once pro- 
ceed to gather the best information I 
could upon those points to which 1 have 
already alluded. I determined to com- 
mence my researches at some slight 
distance from Lisbon, being well aware 
of the erroneous ideas that I must form 
of the Portuguese in general, should I 
judge of their character and opinions 
from what I saw and heard in a city 
so much subjected to foreign inter- 
course. 

My first excursion was to Cintra. If 
there be any place in the world entitled 
to the appellation of an enchanted re- 
gion, it is surely Cintra; Tivoli is a 
beautiful and picturesque place, but it 
quickly fades from the mind of those 
who have seen the Portuguese Paradise. 
When speaking of Cintra, it must not 
for a moment be supposed that nothing 
more is meant than the little town or 
city ; by Cintra must be understood the 
entire region, town, palace, quintas, 
forests, crags, Moorish ruin, which sud- 
denly burst on the view on rounding 
the side of a bleak, savage, and sterile 
looking mountain. Nothing is more 
sullen and uninviting than the south- 
western aspect of the stony wall which, 
on the side of Lisbon, seems to shield 
Cintra from the eye of the world, but 
the other side is & mingled scene oi 

®2 



4 



TIIE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



fairv beauty, artificial elegance, savage 
grandeur, domes, turrets, enormous 
trees, flowers, and waterfalls, such as 
is met with nowhere else beneath the 
sun. Oh ! there are strange and won- 
derful objects at Cintra, and strange 
and wonderful recollections attached to 
them. The ruin on that lofty peak, 
and which covers part of the side of 
that precipitous steep, was once the 
principal stronghold of the Lusitanian 
Moors, and thither, long after they had 
disappeared, at a particular moon of 
every year, were wont to repair wild 
santons of Maugrabie, to pray at the 
tomb of a famous Sidi, who slumbers 
amongst the rocks. That grey palace 
witnessed the assemblage of the last 
cortes held by the boy-king Sebastian, 
ere he departed on his romantic expe- 
dition against the Moors, who so well 
avenged their insulted faith and country 
at Alcazarquibir ; and in that low shady 
quinta, embowered amongst those tall 
aleornoques, once dwelt John de Castro, 
the strange old viceroy of Goa, who 
pawned the hairs of his dead son's 
beard to raise money to repair the 
ruined wall of a fortress threatened by 
the heathen of Ind; those crumbling 
stones which stand before the portal, 
deeply graven, not with " runes," but 
things equally dark, Sanscrit rhymes 
from the Vedas, were brought by him 
from Goa, the most brilliant scene of 
bis glory, before Portugal had become 
a base kingdom ; and. down that dingle, 
in an abrupt rocky promontory, stand 
.he ruined halls of the English Mil- 
lionaire, who there nursed the way- 
ward fancies of a mind as wild, rich, 
and variegated as the scenes around. 
Yes, wonderful are the objects which 
meet the eye at Cintra, and wonder- 
ful are the recollections attached to 
them. 

The town of Cintra contains about 
eight hundred inhabitants. The morn- 
ing subsequent to my arrival, as I was 
about to ascend the mountain for the 
purpose of examining the Moorish ruins, 
I observed a person advancing towards 
ine whom I judged by his dress to be 
an ecclesiastic ; he was in fact one of 
ike three priests of the place. I in- 
stantly accosted him. and had no reason 



to regret doing so ; I found him affable 
and communicative. 

After praising the beauty of the sur- 
rounding scenery, I made some inquiry 
as to the state of education amongst the 
j people under his care. He answered, 
that he was sorry to say that they were 
in a state of great ignorance, very few 
of the common people being able either 
to read or write ; that with respect to 
schools, there was but one in the place, 
where four or five children were taught 
the alphabet, but that even this was at 
present closed ; he informed me, how- 
ever, that there was a school at Col- 
hares, about a league distant. Amongst 
other things, he said that nothing more 
surprised him than to see Englishmen, 
the most learned and intelligent people 
in the world, visiting a place like Cin- 
tra, where there was no literature, 
science, nor any thing of utility (coisa 
que presto). I suspect that there was 
some covert satire in the last speech of 
the worthy priest; I w T as, however, 
jesuit enough to appear to receive it as 
a high compliment, and, taking off my 
hat, departed with an infinity of bows. 

That same day I visited Colhares, a 
romantic village on the s'd-j of the 
mountain of Cintra, to the north-west 
Seeing some peasants collected round a 
smithy, I inquired about the school, 
whereupon one of the men instantly 
conducted me thither. I went up stairs 
into a small apartment, where I found 
the master with about a dozen pupils 
standing in a row ; I saw but one stool 
in the room, and to that, after having em- 
braced me, he conducted me with great 
civility. After some discourse he 
showed me the books which he used 
for the instruction of the children ; they 
were spelling-books, much of the same 
kind as those used in the village schools 
in England. Upon my asking him 
whether it was his practice to place the 
Scriptures in the hands of the chil- 
dren, he informed me that long before 
they had acquired sufficient intelligence 
to understand them they were removed 
by their parents, in order that they 
might assist in the labours of the field, 
and that the parents in general were by 
-no means solicitous that their children 
should learn anything, as they cons> 



CHaV. I.] 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN 



dered the time occupied in learning as 
so much squandered away. He said, 
that though the schools were nominally 
supported by the government, it was 
rarely that the schoolmasters could ob- 
tain their salaries, on which account 
many had of late resigned their employ- 
ments. He told me that he had a copy 
of the New Testament in his posses- 
sion, which I desired to see ; but on exa- 
mining it I discovered that it was only 
the Epistles by Pereira, with copious 
notes. I asked him whether he consi- 
dered that there was harm in reading 
the Scriptures without notes : he re- 
plied that there was certainly no harm 
in it, but that simple people, without 
the help of notes, could derive but little 
benefit from Scripture, as the greatest 
part would be unintelligible to them ; 
whereupon I shook hands with him, 
and, on departing, said that there was 
no part of Scripture so difficult to un- 
derstand as those very notes which were 
intended to elucidate it, and that it 
would never have been written if not 
calculated of itself to illume the minds 
of all classes of mankind. 

In a day or two I made an excursion 
to Mafra, distant about three leagues 
from Cintra : the principal part of the 
way lay over steep hills, somewhat dan- 
gerous for horses ; however, I reached 
the place in safety. 

Mafra is a large village in the neigh- 
bourhood of an immense building, in- 
tended to serve as a convent and palace, 
and which is built somewhat after the 
fashion of the Escurial. In this edifice 
exists the finest library in Portugal, con- 
taining books on all sciences and in all 
languages, and well suited to the size and 
grandeur of the edifice which contains 
it. There were no monks, however, to 
take care of it, as in former times ; they 
had been driven forth, some to beg their 
bread, some to serve under the banners 
of Don Carlos, in Spain, and many, 
as I was informed, to prowl about as 
banditti. I found the place abandoned 
to two or three menials, and exhibiting 
au aspect of solitude and desolation 
truly appalling. Whilst I was viewing 
the cloisters, a fine intelligent-looking 
lad came up and asked (I suppose in 
the hope of obtaining a trine) whether 



I would permit him to show me the 
village church, which he informed me 
was well worth seeing ; I said no, but 
added, that if he would show me the 
village school I should feel much 
obliged to him. He looked at me with 
astonishment, and assured me that there 
was nothing to be seen at the school, 
which did not contain more than half a 
dozen boys, and that he himself was one 
of the number. On my telling him, 
however, that he should show me no 
other place, he at length unwilling!] 
attended me. On the way I leamea 
from him that the schoolmaster was one 
of the friars who had lately been ex- 
pelled from the convent, that he was a 
very learned man, and spoke French 
and Greek. We passed a stone cross, 
and the boy bent his head and crossed 
himself with much devotion. I mention 
this circumstance, as it was the first in- 
stance of the kind which I had observed 
amongst the Portuguese since my ar- 
rival. When near the house where 
the schoolmaster resided, he pointed 
it out to me, and then hid himself be- 
hind a wall, where he awaited my re- 
turn. 

On stepping over the threshold I was 
confronted by a short stout man, be- 
tween sixty and seventy years of age, 
dressed in a blue jerkin and grey trou- 
sers, without shirt or waistcoat ; he 
looked at me sternly, and inquired in 
the French language what was my 
pleasure. I apologized for intruding 
upon him, and stated that, being in- 
formed he occupied the situation of 
schoolmaster, I had come to pay my 
respects to him and to beg permission 
to ask a few questions respecting the 
seminary. He answered, that who- 
ever told me he was a schoolmaster 
lied, for that he was a friar of the con- 
vent, and nothing else. "It is not 
then true," said I, " that all the con- 
vents have been broken up and the 
monks dismissed ?" " Yes, yes," said 
he with a sigh, "it is true ; it is but 
too true." He then was silent for a 
minute, and his better nature overcom- 
ing his angry feelings, he produced a 
snuff-box and offered it to me. The 
snuff-box is the olive-branch of the 
Portuguese, and he who wishes to he 



6 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



[chap. 1. 



on good terms with them must never 
refuse to dip his finger and thumb into 
it when offered. I took, therefore, a 
huge pinch, though I detest the dust, 
and we were soon on the best possible 
terms. He was eager to obtain news, 
especially from Lisbon and Spain. I 
toid him that the officers of the troops 
at Lisbon had, the day before I left 
that place, gone in a body to the queen, 
and insisted upon her either receiving 
their swords or dismissing her minis- 
ters ; whereupon he rubbed his hands, 
and said that he was sure matters would 
not remain tranquil at Lisbon. On my 
saying, however, that I thought the af- 
fairs of Don Carlos were on the decline 
(this was shortly after the death of Zu- 
malacarregui), he frowned, and cried 
that it could not possibly be, for that 
God was too just to suffer it. I felt for 
the poor man who had been driven out 
of his home in the noble convent close 
by, and from a state of affluence and 
comfort reduced in his old age to indi- 
gence and misery, for his present dwell- 
ing scarcely seemed to contain an arti- 
cle of furniture. I tried twice or thrice 
to induce him to converse about the 
school, but he either avoided the sub- 
ject or said shortly that he knew nothing 
about it. On my leaving him, the boy 
came from his hiding-place and rejoined 
me ; he said that he had hidden him- 
self through fear of his master's know- 
ing that he had brought me to him, for 
that he was unwilling that any stranger 
should know that he was a school- 
master. 

I asked the boy whether he or his 
parents were acquainted with the Scrip- 
ture, and ever read it ; he did not, how- 
ever, seem to understand me. I must 
here observe that the boy was fifteen 
years of age, that he was in many re- 
spects very intelligent, and had some 
knowledge of the Latin language : 
nevertheless he knew not the Scripture 
even by name, and I have no doubt, 
from vv-hat I subsequently observed, 
that at least two-thirds of his country- 
men are on that important point no 
wiser than himself. At the doors of 
village inns, at the hearths of the rus- 
tics, in the fields where they labour, at 
&he stone fountains by the way -side 



where they water their cattle, I have 
questioned the lower class of the 
children of Portugal about the Scrip- 
ture, the Bible, the Old and New Tes- 
tament, and in no one instance have 
they known what I was alluding to, or 
could return me a rational answer, 
though on all other matters their replies 
were sensible enough ; indeed, nothing 
surprised me more than the free and 
unembarrassed manner in which the 
Portuguese peasantry sustain a conver- 
sation, and the purity of the language 
in which they express their thoughts, 
and yet few of them can read or write ; 
whereas the peasantry of England, 
whose education is in general much 
superior, are in their conversation coarse 
and dull almost to brutality, and ab- 
surdly ungrammatical in their language, 
though the English tongue is upon the 
whole more simple in its structure than 
the Portuguese. 

On my return to Lisbon I found our 

friend , who received me very 

kindly. The next ten days were ex- 
ceedingly rainy, which prevented me 
from making any excursions into the 
country : during this time I saw our 
friend frequently, and had long con- 
versations with him concerning the best 
means of distributing the Gospel. He 
thought we could do no better for the 
present than put part of our stock into 
the hands of the booksellers of Lisbon, 
and at the same time employ colpor- 
teurs to hawk the books about the 
streets, receiving a certain profit on 
every copy they sold. This plan was 
agreed upon, and forthwith put in 
practice, and with some success. I 
had thoughts of sending colporteurs 
into the neighbouring villages, but to 
this our friend objected. He thought 
the attempt dangerous, as it was very 
possible that the rural priesthood, who 
still possessed much influence in their 
own districts, and who were for the 
most part decided enemies to the spread 
of the Gospel, might cause the men em- 
ployed to be assassinated or ill-treated. 

I determined, however, ere leaving 
Portugal, to establish depots of Bibles 
in one or two of the provincial towns. 
I" wished to visit the Alemtejo, which 
I had heard ^vas a very benighted re- 



chap. i.l THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



gion. The Alemtejo means the province 
beyond, the Tagns. This province is 
not beautiful and picturesque, like most 
other parts of Portugal ; there are few 
hills and mountains — the greater part 
consists of heaths broken by knolls, and 
gloomy dingles, and forests of stunted 
pine ; these places are infested with 
ban<litti. The principal city is Evora., 



one of the most ancient in Portugal, 
and formerly the seat of a branch of 
the Inquisition, yet more cruel and 
baneful than the terrible one of Lisbon. 
Evora lies about sixty miles from Lis- 
bon, and to Evora I determined on 
going with twenty Testaments and two 
Bibles. How I fared there will pre- 
sently be seen. 



L » 1 



CHAPTER II. 



Boatmen of the Tagus — Dangers of the Stream — Aldea Gallega— The Hostelry— Robbers— 
Sabocha — Adventure of a Muleteer — Estalagem de Ladroes — Don Geronimo — Vendas 
Novas — Royal Residence — Swine of the Alemtejo — Monte Moro — Swayne Vonved — 
Singular Goatherd — Children of the Fields — Infidels and Sadducees. 



Ox the afternoon of the 6th of Decem- 
ber I set out for Evora, accompanied 
by my servant. I had been informed 
that the tide would serve for the regular 
passage-boats, or felouks, as they are 
called, at about four o'clock; but on 
reaching the side of the Tagus opposite 
to Aldea Gallega, between which place 
and Lisbon the boats ply, I found that 
the tide would not permit them to start 
before eight o'clock. Had I waited for 
them I should have probably landed at 
Aldea Gallega about midnight, and I 
felt little inclination to make my entree 
in the Alemtejo at that hour ; therefore, 
as I saw small boats which can push 
off at any time lying near in abundance, 
I determined upon hiring one of them 
for the passage, though the expense 
would be thus considerably increased. 
I soon agreed with a wild-looking lad, 
who told me that he was in part owner 
of one of the boats, to take me over. I 
was not aware of the danger in cross- 
ing the Tagus at its broadest part, which 
is opposite Aldea Gallega, at any time, 
but especially at close of day in the 
winter season, or I should certainly not 
have ventured. The lad and his com- 
rade, a miserable-looking object, whose 
only clothing, notwithstanding the sea- 
son, was a tattered jerkin and trousers, 
rowed until we had advanced about 
half a mile from the land ; they then 
set up a large sail, and the lad, who 
seemed to direct everything, and to be 
the principal, took the helm and steered. 
The evening was now setting in ; the 
sun was not far from its bourne in the 
horizon ; the air was very cold, the 
wind was rising, and the waves of the 
noble Tagus began to be crested with 
foam. I told the boy that it was scarcely 
possible for the boat to carry so much 



sail without upsetting, upon which he 
laughed, and began to gabble in a most 
incoherent manner. He had the most 
harsh and rapid articulation that has 
ever come under my observation in any 
human being ; it was the scream of the 
hyena blended with the bark of the 
terrier, though it was by no means an 
index of his disposition, which I soon 
found to be light, merry, and anything 
but malevolent; for when I, in order 
to show him that I cared little about 
him, began to hum " Eu que sou Con- 
trabandista" he laughed heartily, and 
said, clapping me on the shoulder, that 
he would not drown us if he could help 
it. The other poor fellow seemed by 
no means averse to go to the bottom : 
he sat at the fore part of the boat, look- 
ing the image of famine, and only smiled 
when the waters broke over the weather 
side and soaked his scanty habiliments. 
In a little time I had made up my mind 
that our last hour was come : the wind 
was getting higher, the short dangerous 
waves were more foamy, the boat was 
frequently on its beam, and the water 
came over the lee side in torrents ; but 
' still the wild lad at the helm held on, 
i laughing and chattering, and occasion- 
! ally yelling out part of the Miguelite 
air, " Quando el Bey chegou" the singing 
of which in Lisbon is imprisonment. 
The stream was against us, but the 
i wind was in our favour, and we sprang 
I along at a wonderful rate, and I saw 
that our only chance of escape was in 
: speedily passing the farther bank of the^ 
j Tagus, where the bight or bay at the 
j extremity of which stands Aldea Gal- 
I lega commences, for we should not then 
i have to battle with the waves of the 
! stream, which the adverse wind lashed 
! into fury. It was the will of the Al- 



CHAP. II.] 



THE BIBLE IX SPAIN. 



9 



mighty to permit us speedily to gain 
this shelter, but not before the boat was 
nearly tilled with water, and we were 
all wet to the skin. At about seven 
o'clock in the evening we reached 
Aldea Gallega, shivering with cold and 
in a most deplorable plight. 

Aldea Gallega, or the Galieian Vil- 
lage, (for the two words are Spanish, 
and have that signification,) is a place 
containing, I should think, about four 
thousand inhabitants. It was pitchy 
dark when we landed, but rockets soon 
began to fly about in all directions, il- 
luming the air far and wide. As we 
passed along the dirty unpaved street 
which leads to the Largo, or square in 
which the inn is situated, a horrible 
uproar of drums and voices assailed 
our ears. On inquiring the cause of all 
this bustle, I was informed that it was 
the eve of the Conception of the Virgin. 

As it was not the custom of the peo- 
ple at the inn to furnish provisions for 
the guests, I wandered about in search 
of food ; and at last seeing some sol- 
diers eating and drinking in a species 
of wine-house, I went in and asked the 
people to let me have some supper, and 
in a short time they furnished me with 
a tolerable meal, for which, however, 
they charged three crowns. 

Having engaged with a person for 
mules to carry us to Evora, which were 
to be ready at five next morning, I 
soon retired to bed, my servant sleeping 
in the same apartment, which was the 
only one in the house vacant. I closed 
not my eyes during the whole night. 
Beneath us was a stable, in which some 
almocreves, or carriers, slept with their 
mules ; at our back, in the yard, was a 
pigsty. How could I sleep ? The hogs 
grunted, the mules screamed, and the 
almocreves snored most horribly. I 
heard the village clock strike the hours 
until midnight, and from midnight till 
four in the morning, when I sprang up 
and began to dress, and despatched my 
servant to hasten the man with the 
mules, for I was heartily tired of the 
place and. wanted to leave it. An old 
man, bony and hale, accompanied by a 
bare-footed lad, brought the beasts, 
which were tolerably good. He was 
the proprietor of them, and inteDded, 



with the lad, who was his nephew, to 
accompany us to Evora. 

When we started, the moon was 
shining brightly, and the morning was 
piercingly cold. We soon entered on 
a sandy hollow way, emerging from 
which we passed by a strange-looking 
and large edifice, standing on a high 
bleak sand-hill on our left. We were 
speedily overtaken by five or six men 
on horseback, riding at a rapid pace, 
each with a long gun slung at his sad- 
die, the muzzle depending about two 
feet below the horse's belly. I inquired 
of the old man what was the reason of 
this warlike array. He answered, that 
the roads were very bad (meaning that 
they abounded with robbers), and that 
they went armed in this manner for 
their defence ; they soon turned off 
to the right towards Palmella. 

We reached a sandy plain studded 
with stunted pine ; the road was little 
more than a footpath, and as we pro- 
ceeded, the trees thickened and became 
a wood, which extende A for two leagues, 
with clear spaces at in nervals, in which 
herds of cattle and sheep were feeding ; 
the bells attached to their necks were 
ringing lowly and monotonously. The 
sun was just beginning to show itself ; 
but the morning was misty and dreary, 
which, together with the aspect of de- 
solation which the country exhibited, 
had an unfavourable eflect on my 
spirits. I got down and walked, enter- 
ing into conversation with the old man. 
He seemed to have but one theme, " the 
robbers," and the atrocities they were 
in the habit of practising in the very 
spots we were passing. The tales he 
told were truly horrible, and to avoid 
them I mounted again, and rode on 
considerably in front. 

In about an hour and a half we 
emerged from the forest, and entered 
upon a savage, wild, broken ground, 
covered with mato, or brushwood. The 
mules stopped to drink at a shallow 
pool, and on looking to the right I saw 
a ruined wall. This, the guide informed 
me, was the remains of Vendas Velhas, 
or the Old Inn, formerly the haunt of 
the celebrated robber Sabocha. This 
Sabocha, it seems, had, some sixteen 
years ago, a band of about forty ruffians 



10 



THE BI15UE IN SPAIN. 



CHAP. II. 



at his command, who infested these 
wilds, and supported themselves by 
plunder. For a considerable time Sa- 
bocha pursued his atrocious trade un- 
suspected, and many an unfortimate 
traveller was murdered in the dead of 
night at the solitary inn by the wood- 
side -which he kept ; indeed*, a more fit 
situation for plunder and murder I 
never sow. The gang were in the 
habit of watering their horses at the 
pool, and perhaps of washing therein 
their hands stained with the blood of 
their victims : the lieutenant of the 
troop was the brother of Sabocha, a fel- 
low of great strength and ferocity, par- 
ticularly famous for the skill he pos- 
sessed in darting a long knife, with 
which he was in the habit of transfixing 
his opponents. Sabocha's connexion 
with the gang at length became known, 
and he fled, with the greater part of 
his associates, across the Tagus to the 
northern provinces. Himself and his 
brothers eventually lost their lives on 
the road to Coimbra. in an engagement 
with the military. His house was 
razed by order of the government. 

The ruins are still frequently visited 
by banditti, who eat and drink amidst 
them, and look out for prey, as the 
place commands a view of the road. 
The old man assured me, that about two 
months previous, on returning to Aldea 
Gallega with his mules from accom- 
panying some travellers, he had been 
knocked down, stripped naked, and all 
his money taken from him. by a fellow 
whom he believed came from this mur- 
derers' nest. He said that he was an 
exceedingly powerful young man. with 
immense mustaches and whiskers, and 
was armed with an espingarda, or mus- 
ket. About ten days subsequently he 
saw the robber at Vendas Novas, where 
we should pass the night. The fellow 
on recognising him took him aside, and. 
with horrid imprecations, threatened 
that he should never be permitted to 
return home if he attempted to discover 
him: he therefore held his peace, as 
there was little to be gained and every- 
thing to be risked in apprehending him. 
as he would have been speedily set at 
liberty for want of evidence to crimi- 
nate him, and then he would not have 



j failed to have had his revenge, or would 
have been anticipated therein by his 

! comrades. 

I dismounted and went up to the 
place, and saw the vestiges of a fire and 
a broken bottle. The sons of plunder 

< had been there very lately. I left a 
Xew Testament and some tracts amongst 

| the ruins, and hastened away. 

The sun had dispelled the mists and 
was beaming very hot : we rode on for 
about an hour, when I heard the neigh- 
ing of a horse in our rear, and our guide 
said there was a part}' of horsemen be- 

. hind ; our mules were good, and they 
did not overtake us for at least twenty 
minutes. The headmost rider was a gen- 

' tleman in a fashionable travelling dress ; 
a little way behind were an officer, two 
soldiers, and a boy in livery. I heard 
the principal horseman, on overtaking 
my seiwant, inquiring who I was, and 
whether French or English. He was 
told 1 was an English gentleman, tra- 
velling. He then asked whether 1 
understood Portuguese ; the man said 
I understood it. but he believed that I 
spoke French and Italian better. The 

! gentleman then spurred on his horse, 
and accosted me. not in Portuguese, nor 
in French or Italian, but in the purest 
English that I ever heard spoken by a 
foreigner ; it had, indeed, nothing of 
foreign accent or pronunciation in it ; 
and had I not known, by the counte- 
nance of the speaker, that he was no 
Englishman for there is a peculiarity 

' in the countenance, as everybody ki.ov s, 

I which, though it cannot be described, 
is sure to betray the Englishman), I 
should have concluded that Iwasincom- 

' pany with a countryman. TA'e continued 
discoursing until we arrived at Pegoens. 

Pegoens consists of about two or 
three houses and an inn : there is like- 
wise a species of barrack, where half a 
dozen soldiers are stationed. In the 
whole of Portugal there is no place of 
worse reputation, and the inn is nick- 

' named Estalaaem de Ladroes, or the 
hostelry of thieves : for it is there that 
the banditti of the wilderness, which 

\ extends around it on every side for 

■ leagues, are in the habit of coming and 

! spending the money, the fruits of their 
criminal daring ; there thev dance and 



CHAP. II.] 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



1! 



sing, eat fricasseed rabbits and olives, 
and drink the muddy but strong wine 
of the Alemtejo. An enormous fire, 
fed by the trunk of a cork-tree, was 
blazing in a niche on the left hand on 
entering the spacious kitchen. Close 
by it, seething, were several large jars, 
which emitted no disagreeable odour, 
and reminded me that I had not broken 
my fast, although it was now nearly 
one o'clock, and I had ridden five 
leagues. Several wild-looking men, 
who, if they were not banditti, might 
easily be mistaken for such, were seated 
on logs about the fire. I asked them 
some unimportant questions, to which 
they replied with readiness and civility, 
and one of them, who said he could 
read, accepted a tract which I offered 
him. 

My new friend, who had been be- 
speaking dinner, or rather breakfast, 
now, with great civility, invited me to 
partake of it, and at the same time in- 
troduced me to the officer who accom- 
panied him, and who was his brother, 
and also spoke English, though not so 
w r ell as himself. I found I had become 
acquainted with Don Geronimo Joze 
d'Azveto, secretary to the government 
at Evora ; his brother belonged to a 
regiment of hussars, whose head-quar- 
ters were at Evora, but which had out- 
lying parties along the road, — for ex- 
ample, the place where we were stop- 
ping. 

Rabbits at Pegoens seem to be a 
standard article of food, being produced 
in abundance on the moors around. 
We had one fried, the gravy of which 
was delicious, and afterwards a roasted 
one, which was brought up on a dish 
entire ; the hostess, having first washed 
her hands, proceeded to tear the animal 
to pieces, which having accomplished, 
she poured over the fragments a sweet 
sauce. I ate heartily of both dishes, 
particularly of the last : owing, perhaps, 
to the novel and curious manner in 
which it was served up. Excellent 
figs, from the Algarves, and apples, 
concluded our repast, which we ate in 
a little side room with a mud floor, 
which sent such a piercing chill into 
my system, as prevented me from de- 
riving that pleasure from my fare and 



my agreeable companions that I should 
have otherwise experienced. 

Don Geronimo had been educated in 
England, in which country he passed 
his boyhood, which in a certain degree 
accounted for his proficiency in the 
English language, the idiom and pro- 
nunciation of which can only be ac- 
quired by residing in the country at 
that period of one's life. He had also 
fled thither shortly after the usurpation 
of the throne of Portugal by Don Mi- 
guel, and from thence had departed to 
the Brazils, where he had devoted him- 
self to the service of Don Pedro, and 
had followed him in the expedition 
which terminated in the downfall of 
the usurper, and the establishment of 
the constitutional government in Por- 
tugal. Our conversation rolled chiefly 
on literary and political subjects, and 
my acquaintance with the writings of 
the most celebrated authors of Portu- 
gal was hailed with surprise and de- 
light ; for nothing is more gratifying to 
a Portuguese than to observe a foreigner 
taking an interest in the literature of 
his nation, of which, in many respects, 
he is justly proud. 

At about two o'clock we were once 
more in the saddle, and pursued our way 
in company, through a country exact!}' 
resembling that which we had previously 
been traversing, ragged and broken, 
with here and there a clump of pines. 
The afternoon was exceedingly fine, 
and the bright rays of the sun relieved 
the desolation of the scene. Having 
advanced about two leagues, we caught 
sight of a large edifice towering majes- 
tically in the distance, wdiich I learnt 
was a royal palace standing at the far- 
ther extremity of Vendas Novas, the 
village in which we were to pass the 
night ; it was considerably more than 
a league from us, yet, seen through the 
clear transparent atmosphere of Portu- 
gal, it appeared much nearer. 

Before reaching it we passed by a 
stone cross, on the pedestal of which 
was an inscription commemorating a 
horrible murder of a native of Lisbon, 
which had occurred on that spot; it 
looked ancient, and was covered with 
moss, and the greater part of the in- 
scription was illegible, at least it was 



12 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



[CHAP. II. 



to me, who could not bestow much time 
on its deciphering. Having arrived at 
Vendas Novas, and bespoken supper, 
my new friend and myself strolled 
forth to view the palace ; it was built 
by the late king of Portugal, and pre- 
sents little that is remarkable in its 
exterior ; it is a long edifice with wings, 
and is only two stories high, though it 
can be seen afar off, from being situ- 
ated on elevated ground ; it has fifteen 
windows in the upper, and twelve in the 
lower story, with a paltry-looking door, 
something like that of a barn, to which 
you ascend by one single step ; the in- 
terior corresponds with the exterior, 
offering nothing which can gratify cu- 
riosity, if we except the kitchens, which 
are indeed magnificent, and so large 
that food enough might be cooked in 
them, at one time, to serve as a repast 
for all the inhabitants of the Alemtejo. 

I passed the night with great com- 
fort in a clean bed, remote from all 
those noises so rife in a Portuguese inn, 
and the next morning at six we again set 
out on our journey, which we hoped to 
terminate before sunset, as Evora is 
but ten leagues from Vendas Novas. 
The preceding morning had been cold, 
but the present one was far colder — so 
much so, that just before sunrise I 
could no longer support it on horse- 
back, and therefore dismounting, ran 
and walked until we reached a few 
houses at the termination of these deso- 
late moors. It was in one of these 
houses that the commissioners of Don 
Pedro and Miguel met, and it was there 
agreed that the latter should resign the 
crown in favour of Donna Maria, for 
Evora was the last stronghold of the 
usurper, and the moors of the Alem- 
tejo the last area of the combats which 
so long agitated unhappy Portugal. I 
therefore gazed on the miserable huts 
with considerable interest, and did not 
fail to scatter in the neighbourhood 
several of the precious little tracts with 
which, together with a small quantity 
of Testaments, my carpet-bag was pro- 
vided. 

The country began to improve ; the 
savage heaths were left behind, and we 
saw hills and dales, cork-trees, and 
azinheiras. on the last of ^bio.h trees 



grows that kind of sweet acorn called 
bolotas, which is pleasant as a chestnut, 
and which supplies in winter the prin- 
cipal food on which the numerous swine 
of the Alemtejo subsist. Gallant swine 
they are, with short legs and portly 
bodies of a black or dark red colour ; 
and for the excellence of their' flesh I 
can vouch, having frequently luxuri- 
ated upon it in the course of my wan- 
derings in this province ; the lombo, or 
loin, when broiled on the live embers, 
is delicious, especially when eaten with 
olives. 

We were now in sight of Monte 
Moro, which, as the name denotes, was 
once a fortress of the Moors; it is a 
high steep hill, on the summit and 
sides of which are ruined walls and 
towers; at its western side is a deep 
ravine or valley, through which a small 
stream rushes, traversed by a stone 
bridge; farther down there is a ford, 
over which we passed and ascended to 
the town, which, commencing near the 
northern base, passes over the lower 
ridge towards the north-east. The town 
is exceedingly picturesque, and many 
of the houses are very ancient, and 
built in the Moorish fashion. I wished 
much to examine the relics of Moorish 
sway on the upper part of the moun- 
tain, but time pressed, and the short 
period of our stay at this place did not 
permit me to gratify my inclination. 

Monte Moro is the head of a range 
of hills wmich cross this part of the 
Alemtejo, and from hence they fork 
east and south-east, towards the former 
of which directions lies the direct road 
to Elvas, Badajos, and Madrid ; and 
towards the latter that to Evora. A 
beautiful mountain, covered to the top 
with cork-trees, is the third of the chain 
which skirts the way in the cArt^ion 
of Elvas. It is called Monte Almo ; a 
brook brawls at its base, and as I passed 
it the sun was shining gloriously on.the 
green herba ge, on which flocks of goats 
were feeding, with their bells ringing 
merrily, so that the tout ensemble re- 
sembled a fairy scene ; and that nothing 
might be wanted to complete the pic- 
ture, I here met a man, a goatherd, 
beneath an azinheira, whose appear- 
ance recalled to my mind the Brute 



CHAP. II.] 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



Carle, mentioned in the Danish ballad 
of Swayne Vonved : — 

" A wild swine on his shoulders he kept, 
And upon his bosom a black bear slept ; 
And about his ringers with hair o'erhung, 
The squirrel sported and weasel clung." 

Upon the shoulder of the goatherd 
was a beast, which he told me was a 
lontra, or otter, which he had lately 
caught in the neighbouring brook ; it 
had a string round its neck, which was 
attached to his arm. At his left side 
was a bag, from the top of which peered 
the heads of two or three singular- 
looking animals, and at his right was 
squatted the sullen cub of a wolf, which 
he was endeavouring to tame ; his whole 
appearance was to the last degree savage 
and wild. After a little conversation, 
such as those who meet on the road 
frequently hold, I asked him if he 
could read, but he made me no answer. 
I then inquired if he knew anything 
of God or Jesus Christ ; he looked me 
fixedly in the face for a moment, and 
then turned his countenance towards 
the sun, which was beginning to sink 
in the west, nodded to it, and then 
again looked fixedly upon me. I be- 
lieve that I understood the mute reply, 
which probably was, that it was God 
who made that glorious light which 
illumes and gladdens all creation ; and 
gratified with that belief, I left him 
and hastened after my companions, who 
were by this time a considerable way 
in advance. 

I have always found in the disposi- 
tion of the children of the fields a more 
determined tendency to religion and 
piety than amongst the inhabitants of 
towns and cities, and the reason is ob- 
vious — they are less acquainted with the 
works of man's hands than with those 
of God ; their occupations, too, which 
are simple, and requiring less of in- 
genuity and skill than those which en- 
gage the attention of the other portion 
of their fellow-creaturts, are less fa- 
vourable to the m engendering of self- 
conceit and sufficiency, so utterly at 
variance with that lowliness of spirit 
which constitutes the best foundation of 
piety. The sneerers and scoffers at 
religion do not spring from amongst 
the simple children of nature, but are 



the excrescences of over-wrought re- 
finement ; and though their baneful in- 
fluence has indeed penetrated to the 
country and corrupted man there, the 
source and fountain-head was amongst 
crowded houses, where nature is scarcely 
known. I am not one of those who 
look for perfection amongst the rural 
population of any country; perfection 
is not to be found amongst the children 
of the fall, wherever their abodes may 
happen to be ; but, until the heart dis- 
credits the existence of a God, there is 
still hope for the soul of the possessor, 
however stained with crime he may 
be, for even Simon the magician was 
converted ; but when the heart is once 
steeled with infidelity, infidelity con- 
firmed by carnal wisdom, an exuber- 
ance of the grace of God is required to 
melt it, which is seldom manifested ; 
for we read in the blessed book that 
the Pharisee and the wizard became 
receptacles of grace, but where is there 
mention made of the conversion of the 
sneering Sadducee, and is the modern 
infidel aught but a Sadducee of later 
date? 

It was dark night before we reached 
Evora, and having taken leave of my 
friends, who kindly requested me to 
consider their house my home, I and 
my servant went to the Largo de San 
Francisco, in which the muleteer in- 
formed me was the best hostelry of the 
town. We rode into the kitchen, at 
the extreme end of which was the 
stable, as is customary in Portugal. 
The house was kept by an aged gypsy - 
like female and her daughter, a fine 
blooming girl about eighteen years of 
age. The house was large ; in the 
upper story was a very long room, like 
a granary, which extended nearly the 
whole length of the house ; the farther 
part was partitioned off, and formed a 
chamber tolerably comfortable, but very 
cold, and the floor was of tiles, as was 
aiso that of the large room, in which 
the muleteers were accustomed to sleep 
on the furniture of the mules. After 
supper I went to bed, and having offered 
up my devotions to Him who had pro- 
tected me through a dangerous journey, 
I slept soundly till the morning. 



r " ] 



CHAPTER HI. 

Shopkeeper at Evora- — Spanish Contrabandistas — Lion and Unicorn — The Fountain — Trust 
in the Almighty — Distribution of Tracts — Library at Evora — Manuscript — The Bihle as 
a Guide — The infamous Mary — The Man of Palmeila — The Charm — The Monkish System 
— Sunday — Volney— An Auto-da-Fe — Men from Spain — Reading of a Tract— New Arrival 
— The Herb Rosemary. 



Evora is a small city, walled, but not 
regularly fortified, and could not sus- 
tain a siege of a day. It has five gates ; 
before that to the south-west is the 
principal promenade of its inhabitants ; 
the fair on St. John's day is likewise 
held there ; the houses are in general 
very ancient, and many of them unoc- 
cupied. It contains about five thousand 
inhabitants, though twice that number 
would be by no means disproportionate 
to its size. The two principal edifices 
are the See, or cathedral, and the con- 
vent of San Francisco, in the square 
before the latter of which was situated 
the posada where I had taken up my 
abode. A large barrack for cavalry 
stands on the right-hand side on enter- 
ing the south-west gate. To the south- 
east, at the distance of six leagues, is 
to be seen a blue chain of hills, the 
highest of which is called Serra Dorso ; 
it is picturesquely beautiful, and con- 
tains within its recesses wolves and 
wild boars in numbers. About a league 
and a half on the other side of this hill 
is Estremos. 

I passed the day succeeding my ar- 
rival principally in examining the town 
and its environs, and, as I strolled 
about, entered into conversation with 
various people that I met ; several of 
these were of the middle class, shop- 
keepers and professional men ; they 
were all Constitutionalists, or pretended 
to be so, but had very little to say ex- 
cept a few commonplace remarks on 
the way of living of the friars, their 
hypocrisy and laziness. I endeavoured 
to obtain some information respecting 
the state of instruction in the place, and 
from their answers was led to believe 
that it must be at the lowest ebb, for 



it seemed that there was neither book- 
shop nor school. When I spoke of 
religion, they exhibited the utmost 
apathy for the subject, and making 
their bows, left me as soon as possible. 

Having a letter of introduction to a 
person who kept a shop in the market- 
place, I went thither and delivered it 
to him as he stood behind his counter. 
In the course of conversation I found 
that he had been much persecuted 
whilst the old system was in its vigour, 
and that he entertained a hearty aver- 
sion for it. I told him that the igno- 
rance of the people in religious matters 
had served to nurse that system, and 
that the surest way to prevent its return 
was to enlighten their minds : I added 
that I had brought a small stock of 
Bibles and Testaments to Evora, which ■ 
I wished to leave for sale in the hands 
of some respectable merchant, and that 
if he were anxious to help to lay the 
axe to the root of superstition and ty- 
ranny, he could not do so more effec- 
tually than by undertaking the charge 
of these books. He declared his wil- 
lingness to do so, and I went away de- 
termined to entrust to him half of my 
stock. I returned to the hostelry, and 
sat down on a log of wood on the hearth 
within the immense chimney in the 
common apartment ; two surly -looking 
men were on their knees on the stones ; 
before them was a large heap of pieces 
of old iron, brass, and copper; they 
were assorting it, and stowing it away 
in various bags. They were Spanish 
contrabandistas of the lowest class, and 
earned a miserable livelihood by smug- 
gling such, rubbish from Portugal into 
Spain. Not a word proceeded from 
their lips, and when I addressed them 



CHAP. III.] 

in their native language, they returned 
no other answer than a kind of growl. 
They looked as dirty and rusty as the 
iron in which they trafficked; their 
four miserable donkeys were in the 
stable in the rear. 

The woman of the house and her 
daughter were exceedingly civil to me, 
and coming near crouched down, ask- 
ing various questions about England. 
A man dressed somewhat like an En- 
glish sailor, who sat on the other side 
of the hearth confronting me, said, " I 
hate the English, for they are not bap- 
tized, and have not the law," meaning 
the law of God. I laughed, and told 
him that according to the law of Eng- 
land, no one who was unbaptized could 
be buried in consecrated ground ; 
whereupon he said, " Then you are 
stricter than we." He then said, " What 
is meant by the lion and the unicorn 
which I saw the other day on the coat 
of arms over the door of the English 
consul at St. Ubes ?" I said they were 
the arms of England ! " Yes," he re- 
plied, " but what do they represent ? " 
I said I did not know. " Then," said 
he, " you do not know the secrets of 
your own house." I said, " Suppose I 
were to tell you that they represent the 
Lion of Bethlehem and the horned 
monster of the flaming pit in combat, 
as to which should obtain the mastery 
in England, what would you say?" 
He replied, " I should say that you 
gave a fair answer." This man and 
myself became great friends ; he came 
from Palme! la, not far from St. Ubes ; 
he had several mules and horses with 
him, and dealt in corn and. barley. I 
again walked out and roamed in the 
environs of the town. 

About half a mile from the southern 
wall is a stone fountain, where the 
muleteers and other people who visit 
the town are accustomed to water their 
horses. I sat down by it, and there I 
remained about two hours, entering 
into conversation with every one who 
halted at the fountain ; and I will here 
observe, that during the time of my 
sojourn at Evora, I repeated my visit 
every day, and remained there the 
same time ; and by following this plan, 
I believe that I spoke to at ;east t^vo 



15 



hundred of the children of Portugal 
upon matters relating to their eternal 
welfare. I found that very few ot 
those whom I addressed had received 
any species of literary education, none 
of them had seen the Bible, and not 
more than half a dozen had the slight- 
est inkling of what the holy book con- 
sisted. I found that most of them were 
bigoted Papists and Miguelites at heart. 
I therefore, when they told me they 
were Christians, denied the possibility 
of their being so, as they were ignorant 
of Christ and his commandments, and 
placed their hope of salvation on out- 
ward forms and superstitious observ- 
ances, which w^ere the invention of 
Satan, who wished to keep them in 
darkness that at last they might stumble 
into the pit which he had dug for them. 
I said repeatedly that the Pope, whom 
they revered, was an arch deceiver, 
and the head minister of Satan here on 
earth, and that the monks and friars, 
whose absence they so deplored, and to 
whom they had been accustomed to 
confess themselves, were his subordi- 
nate agents. When called upon for 
proofs, I invariably cited the ignorance 
of my auditors respecting the Scrip- 
tures, and said that if their spiritual 
guides had been really ministers of 
Christ, they would not have permitted 
their flocks to remain unacquainted 
with his word. 

Since this occurred, I have been fre- 
quently surprised that I experienced 
no insult and ill-treatment from the 
people, whose superstitions I was thus 
attacking; but I really experienced 
none, and am inclined to believe that 
the utter fearlessness which I dis- 
played, trusting in the protection of the 
Almighty, may have been the cause. 
When threatened by danger, the best 
policy is to fix your eye steadily upon 
it, and it will in general vanish like 
the morning mist before the sun; 
whereas, if you quail before it, it is 
sure to become more imminent. I 
have fervent hope that the words of 
my mouth sank deep into the hearts of 
some of my auditors, as I observed 
many of them depart musing and pen- 
sive. I occasionally distributed tracts 
amongst them ; for although they them* 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



16 



THE BIBLE 



IN SPAIN. 



[chap. hi. 



selves were unable to turn them to 
much account, I thought that by their 
means they might become of service at 
some future time, and fall into the 
hands of others, to whom they might 
be of eternal interest. Many a book 
which is abandoned to the waters is 
wafted to some remote shore, and there 
proves a blessing and a comfort to mil- 
Lions, who are ignorant from whence it 
came. 

The next day, which was Friday, I 
called at the house of my friend Don 
Geronimo Azveto. I did not find him 
there, but was directed to the see, or 
episcopal palace, in an apartment of 
which I found him, writing, with an- 
other gentleman, to whom he intro- 
duced me ; it was the governor of 
Evora, who welcomed me with every 
mark of kindness and affability. After 
some discourse, we went out together 
to examine an ancient edifice, which 
was reported to have served, in bygone 
times, as a temple to Diana. Part of 
it was evidently of Roman architecture, 
for there was no mistaking the beauti- 
ful light pillars which supported a 
dome, under which the sacrifices to 
the most captivating and poetical divi- 
nity of the heathen theocracy had pro- 
bably been made; but the original 
space between the pillars had been 
filled up with rubbish of a modern 
date, and the rest of the building was 
apparently of the architecture of the 
latter end of the middle ages. It was 
situated at one end of the building 
which had once been the seat of the 
Inquisition, and had served, before the 
erection of the present see, as the resi- 
dence of the bishop. 

Within the see, where the governor 
now resides, is a superb library, occu- 
pying an immense vaulted room, like 
the aisle of a cathedral, and in a side 
apartment is a collection of paintings 
by Portuguese artists, chiefly portraits, 
amongst which is that of Don Sebas- 
tian. I sincerely hope it did not do 
him justice, for it represents him in the 
shape of an awkward lad of about 
eighteen, with a bloated booby face 
with staring eyes, and a ruff round a 
short apoplectic neck. 

T was shown several beautifully illu- 



minated missals and other manuscripts , 
but the one which most arrested my 
attention, I scarcely need say why, was 
that which bore the following title : — 

" Forma sive ordinatio Capelli illus- 
trissimi et xianissimi principis Henrici 
Sexti Regis Anglie et Francie am dm 
Hibernie descripta serenissio principi 
Alfonso Regi Portugalie illustri per 
hamilem servitorem sm Willm. Sav. 
Decanu capelle supradicte." 

It seemed a voice from the olden 
times of my dear native land ! This 
library and .picture gallery had been 
formed by one of the latter bishops, a 
person of much learning and piety. 

In the evening I dined with Don 
Geronimo and his brother ; the latter 
soon left us to attend to his military 
duties. My friend and myself had 
now much conversation of considerable 
interest; he lamented the deplorable 
state of ignorance in which his coun- 
trymen existed at present. He said 
that his friend the governor and him- 
self were endeavouring to establish a 
school in the vicinity, and that they 
had made application to the govern- 
ment for the use of an empty convent, 
called the EspL-heiro, or thorn-tree, at 
about a league's distance, and that they 
had little doubt of their request being 
complied with. I had before told him 
who I was ; and after expressing joy at 
the plan which he had in contempla- 
tion, I now urged him in the most 
pressing manner to use all his influence 
to make the knowledge of the Scripture 
the basis of the education which the 
children were to receive, and added, 
that half the Bibles and Testaments 
which I had brought with me to Evora 
were heartily at his service; he in- 
stantly gave me his hand, said he 
accepted my offer with the greatest 
pleasure, and would do all in his power 
to forward my views, which were in 
many respects his own. I now told 
him that I did not come to Portugal 
with the view of propagating the dog- 
mas of any particular sect, but with 
the hope of introducing the Bible, 
which is the well-head of alt that is 
useful and conducive to the happiness 
of society, — that I cared not what peo- 
ple called themselves, provided they 



CHAP. III.] 



TOE BIBLE 



IN SPAIN. 



17 



followed the Bible as a guide ; for that 
where the Scriptures were read, neither 
priestcraft nor tyranny could long exist ; 
and instanced the case of my own coun- 
try, the cause of whose freedom and 
prosperity was the Bible, and that only, 
as the last persecutor of this book, the 
bloody and infamous Mary, was the 
last tyrant who had sat on the throne 
of England. We did not part till the 
night was considerably advanced ; and 
the next morning I sent him the books, 
in the firm and confident hope that a 
bright and glorious morning was about 
to rise over the night which had so 
long cast its dreary shadows over the 
regions of the Alemtejo. 

The day after this interesting event, 
which was Saturday, I had more con- 
versation with the man from Palmella. 
I asked him if in his journeys he had 
never been attacked by robbers ; he an- 
swered no, for that he generally tra- 
velled in company with others. " How- 
ever," said he, " were I alone, I should 
have little fear, for I am well pro- 
tected." I said that I supposed he car- 
ried arms with him. " No other arms 
than this," said he, pulling out one of 
those long desperate-looking knives, of 
English manufacture, with which every 
Portuguese peasant is usually turnished. 
This knife serves for many purposes, 
and I should consider it a far more effi- 
cient weapon than a dagger. "But," 
said he, "I do not place much confi- 
dence in the knife." I then inquired 
in what rested his hope of protection. 
" In this," said he ; and unbuttoning his 
waistcoat, he showed me a small bag, 
attached to his neck by a silken string. 
" In this bag is an oracam, or prayer, 
written by a person of power, and as 
long as I carry it about with me, no ill 
can befall me." Curiosity is the lead- 
ing feature of my character, and I in- 
stantly said, with eagerness, that I 
should feel great pleasure in being per- 
mitted to read the prayer. " Well," he 
replied, " you are my friend, and I 
would do for you what I would for few 
others, I will show it you." He then 
asked for my penknife, and, having un- 
ripped the bag, took out a large piece 
of paper closely folded up. I hurried 
to my apartment and commenced the 



examination of it. It was scrawled 
over in a very illegible hand, and was 
moreover much stained with perspira- 
tion, so that I had considerable diffi- 
culty in making myself master of its 
contents; but I at last accomplished 
the following literal translation of the 
charm, which was written in bad Por- 
tuguese, but which struck me at the 
time as being one of the most remark- 
able compositions that had ever come 
to my knowledge. 

THE CHAR 31. 

" Just Judge and divine Son of the 
Virgin Maria, who wast born in Beth- 
lehem, a Nazarene, and wast crucified 
in the midst of all Jewry, I beseech 
thee, 0 Lord, by thy sixth day, that 
the body of me be not caught, nor put 
to death by the hands of justice at all ; 
peace be with you, the peace of Christ, 
may I receive peace, may you receive 
peace, said God to his disciples. If the 
accursed justice should distrust me, or 
have its eyes on me, in order to take 
me or to rob me, may its eyes not see 
me, may its mouth not speak to me, 
may it have ears which may not hear 
me, may it have hands which may not 
seize me, may it have feet which may 
not overtake me ; for may I be armed 
with the arms of St. George, covered 
with the cloak of Abraham, and shipped 
in the ark of Noah, so that it can neither 
see me, nor hear me, nor draw the blood 
from my body. I also adjure thee, O 
Lord, by those three blessed crosses, by 
those three blessed chalices, by those 
three blessed clergymen, by those three 
consecrated hosts, that thou give me 
that sweet company which thou gavett 
to the Virgin Slaria, from the gates of 
Bethlehem to the portals of Jerusalem, 
that I may go and come with pleasure 
and joy with Jesus Christ, the Son of 
the Virgin Maria, the prolific jet never- 
theless the eternal virgin.' 

The woman of the house and her 
daughter had similar bags attached to 
their necks, containing charms, which, 
they said, prevented the witches having 
power to harm them. The belief in 
witchcraft is very prevalent amongst 
the peasantry of "the Alemtejo, and 1 
believe of other provinces of Portugal. 

C. 



IS 



THE BULE IN SPAIN. 



[chap. Ill 



This is one of the relics of the monkish 
system, the aim of which, in all coun- 
tries where it has existed, seems to 
have been to besot the minds of the 
people, that they might be more easily 
misled. All these charms were fabri- 
cations of the monks, who had sold 
them to their infatuated confessants. 
The monks of the Greek and Syrian 
churches likewise deal in this ware, 
which they know to be poison, but 
which they would rather vend than 
the wholesome balm of the Gospel, be- 
cause it brings them a large price, and 
fosters the delusion which enables them 
to live a life of luxury. 

The Sunday morning was fine, and 
the plain before the church of the con- 
vent of San Francisco was crowded 
with people hastening to or returning 
from the mass. After having performed 
my morning devotion, and breakfasted, 
I went down to the kitchen ; the girl 
Geronima was seated by the fire. I 
inquired if she had heard mass ? She 
replied in the negative, and that she 
did not intend to hear it. Upon my 
inquiring her motive for absenting her- 
self, she replied, that since the friars 
had been expelled from their churches 
and convents she had ceased to attend 
mass, or to confess herself ; for that the 
government priests had no spiritual 
power, and consequently she never 
troubled them. She said the friars were 
holy men and charitable ; for that every 
morning those of the convent over the 
way fed forty poor persons with the 
relics of the meals of the preceding day, 
but that now these people were allowed 
to starve. I replied, that the friars, 
who lived on the fat of the land, could 
well afford to bestow a few bones upon 
their poor, and that their doing so was 
merely a part of their policy, by which 
they hoped to secure to themselves 
friends in time of need. The girl then 
observed, that, as it was Sunday, I 
should perhaps like to see some books, 
and without waiting for a reply she 
produced them. They consisted prin- 
cipally of popular stories, with lives 
and miracles of saints, but amongst 
them was a translation of Volney's 
Ruins of Empires. I expressed a wish 
to know how she came possessed of this 



book. She said that a young man, a 
great Constitutionalist, had given it to 
her some months previous, and had 
pressed her much to read it, for that it 
was one of the best books in the world. 
I replied, that the author of it was an 
emissary of Satan, and an enemy ct 
Jesus Christ and the souls of mankind : 
that it was written with the sole aim of 
bringing all religion into contempt, and 
that it inculcated the doctrine that there 
was no future state, nor reward for the 
righteous, nor punishment for the wick- 
ed. She made no reply, but going into 
another room, returned with her apron 
full of dry sticks and brushwood, all 
which she piled upon the fire, and pro • 
duced a bright blaze. She then took 
the book from my hand and placed it 
upon the flaming pile : then sitting 
down, took her rosary out of her pocket, 
and told her beads till the volume was 
consumed. This was an auto-da-fe in 
the best sense of the word. 

On the Monday and Tuesday I paid 
my usual visits to the fountain, and 
likewise rode about the neighbourhood 
on a mule, for the purpose of circulat- 
ing tracts. I dropped a great many in 
the favourite walks of the people of 
Evora, as I felt rather dubious of their 
accepting them had I proffered them 
with my own hand, whereas, should 
they be observed lying on the ground, 
I thought that curiosity might cause 
them to be picked up and examined. 
I likewise, on the Tuesday evening, 
paid a farewell visit to my friend 
Azveto, as it was my intention to leave 
Evora on the Thursday following and 
return to Lisbon ; in which view I had 
engaged a calash of a man who in- 
formed me that he had served as a 
soldier in the grande armee of Napoleon, 
and been present in the Eussian cam- 
paign. He looked the very image of a 
drunkard. His face was covered with 
carbuncles, and his breath impregnated 
with the fumes of strong waters. He 
wished much to converse with me in 
French, in the speaking of which lan- 
guage it seemed he prided himself, but 
I refused, and told him to speak the 
language of the country, or I would 
hold no discourse with him- 

Wtdnesday was stormy, with occa- 



CHAP. III.] 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



sional rain. On coming down, I found 
that my friend from Palmella had de- 
parted ; but several contrabandist's had 
arrived from Spain. They were mostly 
fine fellows, and, unlike the two I had 
seen the preceding week, who were of 
much lower degree, were chatty and 
communicative ; they spoke their native 
language, and no other, and seemed to 
hold the Portuguese in great contempt. 
The magnificent tones of the Spanish 
sounded to great advantage amidst the I 
shrill squeaking dialect of Portugal. I 
was soon in deep conversation with 
them, and was much pleased to find 
that all of them could read. I pre- 
sented the eldest, a man of about fifty 
years of age, with a tract in Spanish. 
He examined it for some time with 
great attention ; he then rose from his 
seat, and going into the middle of the 
apartment, began reading it aloud, 
slowly and emphatically; his compa- 
nions gathered around him, and every 
now and then expressed their approba- 
tion of what they heard. The reader 
occasionally called upon me to explain 
passages which, as they referred to 
particular texts of Scripture, he did not 
exactly understand, for not one of the 
party had ever seen either the Old or 
New Testament. 

He continued reading for upwards of 
an hour, until he had finished the 
tract ; and, at its conclusion, the whole 
party were clamorous for similar ones, 
with which I was happy to be able to 
supply them. 

Most of these men spoke of priestcraft 
and the monkish system with the utmost 
abhorrence, and said that they should 
prefer death to submitting again to the 
yoke which had formerly galled their 
necks. I questioned them very parti- 
cularly respecting the opinion of their 
neighbours and acquaintances on this 
point, and they assured me that in their 
part of the Spanish frontier all were of 
the same mind, and that they cared as 
little for the Pope and his monks as 
they did for Don Carlos ; for the latter 
was a dwarf (cMcotito) and a tyrant, 
and the others were plunderers and 



robbers. I told them they must beware 
of confounding religion with priestcraft, 
and that in their abhorrence of the 
latter they must not forget that there is 
a God and a Christ to whom they must 
look for salvation, and whose word it 
was incumbent upon them to study on 
every occasion; whereupon they all 
expressed a devout belief in Christ and 
the Virgin. 

These men, though in many respects 
more enlightened than the surrounding 
peasantry, were in others as much in 
the dark; they believed in witchcraft 
and in the efficacy of particular charms., 
The night was very stormy, and a* 
about nine we heard a galloping to- 
wards the door, and then a loud knock- 
ing : it was opened, and in rushed a 
wild-looking man, mounted on a don- 
key ; he wore a ragged jacket of sheep- 
skin, called in Spanish zamarra, with 
breeches of the same as far down as his 
knees ; his legs were bare. Around 
his sombrero, or shadowy hat, was tied 
a large quantity' of the herb which in 
English is called rosemary, in Spanish 
romero, and in the rustic language of 
Portugal alecrim, which last is a word 
of Scandinavian origin (ellegren), sig- 
nifying the elfin plant, and was pro- 
bably carried into the south by the 
Vandals. The man seemed frantic with 
terror, and said that the witches had 
been pursuing him and hovering over 
his head for the last two leagues. He 
came from the Spanish frontier with 
meal and other articles; he said that 
his wife was following him, and would 
soon arrive, and in about a quarter of 
an hour she made her appearance, drip- 
ping with rain, and also mounted on a 
donkey. 

I asked my friends the contraban- 
distas why he wore the rosemary in his 
hat ; whereupon they told me that it 
was good against witches and the mis- 
chances on the road. I had no time to 
argue against this superstition, for, as 
the chaise was to be ready at five the 
next morning, I wished to make the 
most of the short time which I could 
devote to sleep. 



[ 20 1 



CHAPTER IV. 

Vexatious Delays — Drunken Driver — The murdered Mule — The Lamentation — Ad vent are on 
the Heath — Fear of Darkness — Portuguese Fidalgo — The Escort — Return to Lisbon. 



1 rose at four, and after having taken 
some refreshment, I descended and 
found the strange man and his wife 
sleeping in the chimney corner by the 
fire, which was still burning. They 
soon awoke, and began preparing their 
breakfast, which consisted of salt sar- 
dinhas, broiled upon the embers. In 
the mean time the woman sang snatches 
of the beautiful hymn, very common in 
Spain, which commences thus : — 

" Once of old upon a mountain, shepherds 

overcome with sleep, 
Near to Bethlehem's holy tower, kept at 

dead of night their sheep ; 
Round about the trunk they nodded of a 

huge ignited oak, 
Whence the crackling flame ascending 

bright and clear the darkness broke." 

On hearing that I was about to de- 
part, she said, " You shall have some 
of my husband's rosemary, which will 
keep you from danger, and prevent any 
misfortune occurring." I was foolish 
enough to permit her to put some of it 
in my hat ; and the man having by this 
time arrived with his mules, I bade 
farewell to my friendly hostesses, and 
entered the chaise with my servant. 

I remarked at the time that the mules 
which drew us were the finest I had 
ever seen; the largest could be little j 
short of sixteen hands high; and the I 
fellow told me in his bad French that 
he loved them better than his wife and 
children. We turned round the corner j 
/)f the convent, and proceeded down the j 
street which leads to the south-western j 
gate. The driver now stopped before j 
the door of a large house, and having 
alighted, said that it was yet very early, [ 
and that he was afraid to venture forth, I 
as it was very probable we should be 
robbed, and himself murdered, as the 
robbers who resided in the town would 



[ be apprehensive of his discovering them, 
but that the family who lived in this 
house were going to Lisbon, and would 
depart in about a quarter of an hour, 
when we might avail ourselves of an 
escort of soldiers which they would take 
with them, and in their company we 
should run no danger. I told him I 
had no fear, and commanded him to 
drive on ; but he said he would not, 
and left us in the street. We waited 
an hour, when two carriages came to 
the door of the house, but it seems the 
family were not yet ready, whereupon 
the coachman likewise got down, and 
went away. At the expiration of about 
half an hour the family came out, and 
when their luggage had been arranged 
they called for the coachman, but he 
was nowhere to be found. Search was 
made for him, but ineffectually, and an 
hour more was spent before another 
driver could be procured : but the 
escort had not yet made its appearance, 
and *t was not before a servant had 
been twice dispatched to the barracks 
that it arrived. At last everything was 
ready, and they drove off. 

All this time I had seen nothing of 
our own coachman, and I fully expected 
that he had abandoned us altogether. 
In a few minutes I saw him staggering 
up the street in a state of intoxication, 
attempting to sing the Marseillois hymn. 
I said nothing to him, but sat observing 
him. He stood for some time staring 
at the mules, and talking incoherent 
nonsense in French. At last he said, 
"I am not so drunk but 1 can ride," 
and proceeded to lead his males towards 
the gate. When out of the town he 
made several ineffectual attempts to 
mount the smallest mule, which bore 



the saddle: he at 



length 



succeeded. 



chap, iv.] THE BIBLE 

and instantly commenced spurring at a 
furious rate down the road. We ar- 
rived at a place where a narrow rocky 
path branched off, by taking which we 
should avoid a considerable circuit 
round the city wall, which otherwise it 
would be necessary to make before we 
could reach the road to Lisbon, which 
lay at the north-east. He now said, 
" I shall take this path, for by so doing 
we shall overtake the family in a 
minute f so into the path we went. It 
was scarcely wide enough to admit the 
carriage, and exceedingly steep and 
broken. We proceeded, ascending and 
descending ; the wheels cracked, and 
the motion was so violent that we were 
in danger of being cast out as from a 
sling. I saw that if we remained in 
the carriage it must be broken in pieces, 
as our weight must insure its destruc- 
tion. I called to him in Portuguese to 
stop, but he flogged and spurred the 
beasts the more. My man now entreated 
me for God's sake to speak to him in 
French, for if anything would pacify 
him that would. I did so, and entreated 
him to let us dismount and walk till 
we had cleared this dangerous way. 
The result justified Antonio's anticipa- 
tion. He instantly stopped, and said, 
" Sir, you are master ; you have only to 
command, and I shall obey." We dis- 
mounted, and walked on till we reached 
the great road, when we once more 
seated ourselves. 

The family were about a quarter of 
a mile in advance, and we were no 
sooner reseated than he lashed the mules 
into full gallop, for the purpose of over- 
taking it. His cloak had fallen from 
his shoulder, and, in endeavouring to 
re-adjust it, he dropped the string from 
his hand by which he guided the large 
mule : it became entangled in the legs 
of the poor animal, which fell heavily 
on its neck ; it struggled for a moment, 
and then lay stretched across the way, 
the shafts over its body. I was pitched 
forward into the dirt, an(* the drunken 
driver fell upon the murdered mule. 

I was in a great rage, and cried, 
" You drunken renegade, who are 
ashamed to speak the language of your 
own country, you have broken the staff 
of your existence, and may now starve/' 



IN SPAIN. 2! 



" Paciencia," said he, and began kick- 
ing the head of the mule, in order to 
make it rise ; bat I pushed him down, 
and taking his knife, which had fallen 
from his pocket, cut the bands by which 
it was attached to the carriage, but life 
had fled, and the film of death had 
begun to cover its eyes. 

The fellow, in the recklessness of in- 
toxication, seemed at first disposed to 
make light of his loss, saying, " The 
mule is dead ; it was God's will that 
she should die ; w^hat more can be said ? 
Paciencia." Meanwhile, I despatched 
Antonio to the town, for the purpose of 
hiring mules, and, having taken my 
baggage from the chaise, waited on the 
road-side until he should arrive. 

The fumes of the liquor began now 
to depart from the fellow's brain ; 
he clasped his hands, and exclaimed, 
" Blessed Virgin, what is to become of 
me? How am I to support myself? 
Where am I to get another mule ? 
For my mule — my best mule — is 
dead : she fell upon the road, and died 
of a sudden ! I have been in France, 
and in other countries, and have seen 
beasts of all kinds, but such a mule as 
that I have never seen ; but she is dead 
— my mule is dead : she fell upon the 
road, and died of a sudden !" He con- 
tinued in this strain for a considerable 
time ; and the burden of his lamenta- 
tion was always, "My mule is dead: 
she fell upon the road, and died of a 
sudden." At length he took the collar 
from the creature's neck, and put it 
upon the other, which, with some diffi- 
culty, he placed in the shafts. 

A beautiful boy of about thirteen now 
came from the direction of the town, 
running along the road with the velo- 
city of a hare: he stopped before the 
dead mule and burst into tears : it was 
the man's son, who had heard of the 
accident from Antonio. This was too 
much for the poor fellow ; he ran up to 
the boy, and said, " Don't cry, our 
bread is gone, but it is God's will ; the 
mule is dead !" He then flung himself 
on the ground, uttering fearful cries. 
" I could have borne my loss," said he, 
" but when I saw my child cry, I be- 
came a fool." I gave him two or three 
crowns, and added some words of com- 



22 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



[chap. IV. 



fort ; assuring him I had no doubt that, 
if he abandoned drink, the Almighty 
God would take compassion on him and 
repair his loss. At length he became 
more composed, and placing my bag- 
gage in the chaise, we returned to the 
town, where I found two excellent 
riding mules awaiting my arrival at 
the inn. I did not see the Spanish 
woman, or I should have told her of the 
little efficacy of rosemary in this instance. 

I have known several drunkards 
amongst the Portuguese, but, without 
one exception, they have been indivi- 
duals who, having travelled abroad, 
like this fellow, have returned with a 
contempt for their own country, and 
polluted with the worst vices of the 
lands which they have visited. 

I would strongly advise any of my 
countrymen who may chance to read 
these lines, that, if their fate lead them 
into Spain or Portugal, they avoid hir- 
ing as domestics, or being connected 
with, individuals of the lower classes 
who speak any other language than 
their own, as the probability is that 
they are heartless thieves and drunk- 
ards. These gentry are invariably say- 
ing all they can in dispraise of their 
native land ; and it is my opinion, 
grounded upon experience, that an in- 
aividual who is capable of such bare- 
ness would not hesitate at the perpe- 
tration of any villany, for next- to the 
love of God, the love of country is the 
best preventive of crime. He who is 
proud of his country will be particu- 
larly cautious not to do anything which 
is calculated to disgrace it. 

We now journeyed towards Lisbon, 
and reached Monte Moro about two 
o'clock. After taking such refresh- 
ment as the place afforded, we pursued 
our way till we were within a quarter 
of a league of the huts which stand on 
the edge of the savage wilderness we 
had before crossed. Here we were 
overtaken by a horseman ; he was a 
powerful, middle-sized man, and was 
mounted on a noble Spanish horse. He 
had a broad slouching sombrero on his 
head, and wore a jerkin of blue cloth, 
with large bosses of silver for buttons, 
and clasps of the same metal ; he had 
breeches of yellow leather, and im- 



mense jack-boots : at his saddle was 
slung a formidable gun. He inquired 
if I intended to pass the night at Ven- 
das Novas, and on my replying in the 
affirmative, he said that he would avail 
himself of our company. He now 
looked towards the sun, whose disk was 
rapidly sinking beneath the horizon, 
and entreated us to spur on and make 
the most of its light, for that the moor 
was a horrible place in the dusk. He 
placed himself at our head, and we 
trotted briskly on, the boy or muleteer 
who attended us running behind with- 
out exhibiting the slightest symptom of 
fatigue. 

We entered upon the moor, and had 
advanced about a mile when dark night 
fell around us ; we were in a wild path, 
with high brushwood on either side, 
when the rider said that he could not 
confront the darkness, and begged me 
to ride on before, and he would follow 
after : I could hear him trembling. I 
asked the reason of his terror, and he 
replied, that at one time darkness was 
the same thing to him as day, but that 
of late years he dreaded it, especially 
in wild places. I complied with his 
request, but I was ignorant of the way, 
and, as I could scarcely see my hand, 
was continually going wrong. This 
made the man impatient, and he again 
placed himself at our head. We pro- 
ceeded so for a considerable way, when 
he again stopped, and said that the 
power of the darkness was too much for 
him. His horse seemed to be infected 
with the same panic, for it shook in 
every limb. I now told him to call on 
the name of the Lord Jesus, who was 
able to turn the darkness into light; 
but he gave a terrible shout, and bran- 
dishing his gun aloft discharged it in 
the air. His horse sprang forward at 
full speed, and my mule, which was 
one of the swiftest of its kind, took 
fright and followed at the heels of the 
charger. Antonio and the boy were 
left behind. On we flew like a whirl- 
wind, the hoofs of the animals ilium 
ing the path with the sparks of fire they 
struck from the stones. I knew not 
whither we were going, but the dumb 
"creatures were acquainted with the way, 
and soon brought us to Vendas Novas, 



CHAP. IV.] 



THE BIBLE IN SPA IN. 



23 



where we were rejoined by our com- 
panions. 

I thought this man was a coward, 
but I did him injustice, for during the 
day he was as brave as a lion, and feared 
no one. About five years since he had 
overcome two robbers who had attacked 
him on the moors, and, after tying their 
hands behind them, had delivered them 
up to justice ; but at night the rustling 
of a leaf filled him with terror. I have 
known similar instances of the kind in 
persons of otherwise extraordinary re- 
solution. For myself, I confess I am 
not a person of extraordinary resolu- 
tion, but the dangers of the night daunt 
me no more than those of mid-day. 
The man in question was a farmer 
from Evora, and a person of consider- 
able wealth. 

I found the inn at Vendas Novas 
thronged with people, and had some 
difficulty in obtaining accommodation 
and refreshment. It was occupied by 
the family of a certain Fidalgo. from 
Estremoz ; he was on the way to Lis- 
bon, conveying a large sum of money, 
as was said — probably the rents of his 
estates. He had with him a body-guard 
of four-and-twenty of his dependants, 
each armed with a rifle ; they consisted 
of his swineherds, shepherds, cowherds, 
and hunters, and were commanded by 
two youths, his son and nephew, the 
latter of whom was in regimentals ; ne- 
vertheless, notwithstanding the number 
of his troop, it appeared that the Fidalgo 
laboured under considerable apprehen- 
sion of being despoiled upon the waste 
which lay between Vendas Novas ani 
Pegoens, as he had just requested a 
guard of four soldiers from the officer 
who commanded a detachment stationed 
here : there were many females in bis 
company, who, I was told, were his ille- 
gitimate daughters — for he bore an inza- 
mous moral character, and was repre- 
sented to me as a staunch friend of Eon 
Miguel. It was not long before he 
came up to me and my new acquaint- 
ance, as we sat by the kitchen fire : he 
was a tall man of about sixty, but 
stooped much. His countenance was 
by no means pleasing : he had a long 
hooked nose, small twinkling curning 
eyes, and, what I liked worst of all, a 



continual sneering smile, which I firmly 
believe to be the index of a treacherous 
and malignant heart. He addressed 
me in Spanish, which, as he resided 
not far from the frontier, he spoke with 
fluency, but, contrary to my usual prac- 
tice, I was reserved and silent. 

On the following morning I rose at 
seven, and found that the party from 
Estremoz had started several hours 
previously. I breakfasted with my ac- 
quaintance 01 the preceding night, and 
we set out to accomplish what remained 
of our journey. The sun had now 
arisen, and all his fears had left him — 
he breathed defiance against all the rob- 
bers of the Alemtejo. When we had 
advanced about a league, the boy, who 
attended us, said he saw heads of men 
amongst the brushwood. Our cavalier 
instantly seized his gun, and causing 
his horse to make two or three lofty 
bounds, held it in one hand, the muzzle 
pointed in the direction indicated, but 
the heads did not again make their ap- 
pearance, and it was probably but a 
false alarm. 

We resumed our way, and the con- 
versation turned, as might be expected, 
upon robbers. My companion, who 
seemed to be acquainted with every 
inch of ground over which we passed, 
had a legend to tell of every dingle and 
every pine clump. We reached a slight 
eminence, on the top of which grew 
three stately pines : about half a league 
farther on was another similar one. 
These two eminences commanded a 
view of the road from Pegoens and 
Vendas Novas, so that all people going 
and coming could be descried whilst 
yet at a distance. My friend told me 
that these heights were favourite sta- 
tions of robbers. Some two years since, 
a band of six mounted banditti re- 
mained there three days, and plundered 
whomsoever approached from either 
quarter. Their horses, saddled and 
bridled, stood picqueted at the foot of 
the trees, and two scouts, one for each 
eminence, continually sat in the top- 
most branches, and gave notice of the 
approach of travellers. When at a 
proper distance, the robbers below 
sprung upon their horses, and putting 
them to full gallop, made at their prey- 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



[chap. IV. 



shouting Rendete, Picaro I Rendete, 
Picarol (Surrender, scoundrel, sur- 
render!) We, however, passed unmo- 
lested, and, about a quarter of a mile 
before we reached Pegoens, overtook 
the family of the Fidalgo. 

Had they been conveying the wealth 
of Ind through the deserts of Arabia, 
they could not have travelled with 
more precaution. The nephew, with 
drawn sabre, rode in front ; pistols in 
his holsters, and the usual Spanish gun 
slung at his saddle. Behind him 
tramped six men in a rank, with 
muskets shouldered, and each of them 
wore at his girdle a hatchet, which 
was probably intended to cleave the 
thieves to the brisket should they ven- 
ture to come to close quarters. There 
were six vehicles, two of them calashes, 
in which latter rode the Fidalgo and 
his daughters ; the others were covered 
carts, and seemed to be filled with 
household furniture ; each of these 
vehicles had an armed rustic on either 
side ; and the son, a lad about sixteen, 
brought up the rear with a squad equal 
to that of his cousin in the van. The 
soldiers, who, by good fortune, were 
light horse, and admirably mounted, 



were galloping about in all directions, 
for the purpose of driving the enemy 
from cover, should they happen to be 
lurking in the neighbourhood. 

I could not help thinking, as I passed 
by, that this martial array was very 
injudicious, for though it was calculated 
to awe plunderers, it was likewise cal- 
culated to allure them, as it seemed to 
hint that immense wealth was passing 
through their territories. I do not 
know how the soldiers and rustics 
would have behaved in case of an at- 
tack, but am inclined to believe that if 
three such men as Ei jhard Turpin had 
suddenly galloped forth from behind 
one of the bush-covered knolls, neither 
the numbers nor resistance opposed to 
them would have prevented them from 
bearing away the contents of the strong 
box, jingling in their saddle-bags. 

From this moment nothing worthy 
of relating occurred till our arrival at 
Aldea Gallega, where we passed the 
night, and next morning at three o'clock 
embarked in the passage-boat for Lis- 
bon, where we arrived at eight: and 
thus terminates my first wandering In 
the Alemtejo. 



C 25 J 



CHAPTER V. 



The College— The Rector — Shibboleth — National Prejudices — Youthful Sports — Jew? of 
Lisbon — Bad Faith — Crime and Superstition. 



One afternoon Antonio said to me, " It 
has struck me, Senhor, that your wor- 
ship would like to see the college of 
the English * * * * *" "By all 
means," I replied, "pray conduct me 
thither." So he led me through va- 
rious streets until we stopped before 
the gate of a large building, in one of 
the most elevated situations in Lisbon ; 
upon our ringing, a kind of porter pre- 
sently made his appearance, and de- 
manded our business. Antonio ex- 
plained it to him. He hesitated for a 
moment ; but, presently bidding us en- 
ter, conducted us to a large gloomy- 
looking stone hall, where, begging us 
to be seated, he left us. We were 
soon joined by a venerable personage, 
seemingly about seventy, in a kind of 
flowing robe or surplice, with a colle- 
giate cap upon his head. Notwith- 
standing his age there was a ruddy 
tinge upon his features, which were 
perfectly English. Coming slowly up 
he addressed me in the English tongue, 
requesting to know how he could serve 
me. I informed him that I was an 
English traveller, and should be happy 
to be permitted to inspect the college, 
provided it were customary to show it 
to strangers. He informed me that 
there could be no objection to accede 
to my request, but that I came at ra- 
ther an unfortunate moment, it being 
the hour of refection. I apologised, 
and was preparing to retire, but he 
begged me to remain, as in a few mi- 
Mites the refection would be over, 
when the principals of the college 
would do themselves the pleasure of 
waiting on me. 

We sat down on the stone bench, 
when he commenced surveying me at- 
tentively for some time, and then cast 
his eyes on Antonio. " Whom have 



we here ? " said he to the latter : 
" surely your features are not un- 
known to me." " Probably not, your 
reverence," replied Antonio, getting 
up, and bowing most profoundly. "I 
lived in the family of the Countess 
* * * *, at Cintra, when your ve- 
ndibility was her spiritual guide." 
" True, true,'' said the old gentleman, 
sighing, " I remember you now. Ah, 
Antonio, things are strangely changed 
since then. A new government — a 
new system — a new religion, I may 
say." Then, looking again at me, he 
demanded whither I was journeying ? 
" I am going to Spain," said I, " and 
have stopped at Lisbon by the way." 
" Spain, Spain ! " said the old man ; 
" surely you have chosen a strange 
time to visit Spain; there is much 
blood shedding in Spain at present, 
and violent wars and tumults." •" I 
consider the cause of Don Carlos as 
already crushed," I replied ; " he has 
lost the only general capable of leading 
his armies to Madrid. Zumalacarregui, 
his Cid, has fallen." " Do not flatter 
yourself ; I beg your pardon, but do 
not think, young man, that the Lord 
will permit the powers of darkness to 
triumph so easily ; the cause of Don 
Carlos is not lost : its success did not 
depend on the life of a frail worm like 
him whom you have mentioned." We 
continued in discourse some little time, 
when he arose, saying that by this time 
he believed the refection was con- 
cluded. 

He had scarcely left me five minutes 
when three individuals entered the 
stone hall, and advanced slowly to- 
wards me ; — the principals of the col- 
lege, said I to myself ; and so indeed 
they were. The first of these gentle- 
men, and to whom the other two ap- 



2^ 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



[CHAP. V, 



peared to pay considerable deference, 
was a thin spare person, somewhat 
above the middle height; his com- 
plexion was very pale, his features 
emaciated but fine, his eyes dark and 
sparkling ; he might be about fifty — the 
other two were men in the prime of 
life. One was of rather low stature ; 
his features were dark, and wore that 
pinched and mortified expression so 
frequently to be observed in the coun- 
tenance of the English ***** : the 
other was a bluff, ruddy, and rather 
good-looking young man; all three 
were dressed alike in the usual college 
cap and silk gown. Coming up, the 
eldest of the three took me by the 
hand, and thus addressed me in clear 
silvery tones :-r- 

" Welcome, Sir, to our poor house ; 
we are always happy to see in it a 
countryman from our beloved native 
land ; it will afford us extreme satis- 
faction to show you over it ; it is true 
that satisfaction is considerably dimi- 
nished by the reflection that it possesses 
nothing worthy of the attention of a 
traveller ; there is nothing curious per- 
taining to it save, perhaps, its economy, 
and that, as we walk about, we will ex- 
plain to you. Permit us, first of all, to 
introduce ourselves to you ; I am rector 
of this poor English house of refuge ; 
this gentleman is our professor of hu- 
manity, and this (pointing to the ruddy 
personage) is our professor of polite 
learning. Hebrew, and Syriac." 

Myself. — I humbly salute you all ; 
excuse me if I inquire who was the 
venerable gentleman who put himself 
to the inconvenience of staying with 
me whilst I was awaiting your lei- 
sure. 

JRector. — O ! a most admirable per- 
sonage, our almoner, our chaolam : he I 
came into this country before any of 
us were born, and here he has con- 
tinued ever since. Now let us ascend 
that we may show you our poor house : 
but how is this, my dear Sir, how is it 
that I see you standing uncovered in 
our cold damp hall ? 

Myself. — I can easily explain that 
to you ; it is a custom which has be- 
come quite natural to me. I am just 
arrived from Eussia, where I have 



spent some years. A Eussian invari- 
ably takes off his hat whenever he 
enters beneath a roof, whether it per- 
tain to hut, shop, or palace. To omit 
doing so would be considered as a 
mark of brutality and barbarism, and 
for the following reason: in every 
apartment of a Eussian house there is 
a small picture of the Virgin stuck up 
in a corner, just below the ceiling — the 
hat is taken off out of respect to her. 

Quick glances of intelligence were 
exchanged by the three gentlemen. I 
had stumbled upon their shibboleth, 
and proclaimed myself an Ephraimite, 
and not of Gilead. I have no doubt 
that up to that moment they had con- 
sidered me as one of themselves — a 
member, and perhaps a priest, of their 
own ancient, grand, and imposing reli- 
gion, for such it is, I must confess — an 
error into which it was natural that 
they should fall. What motives could 
a Protestant have for intruding upon 
their privacy ? What interest could he 
take in inspecting the economy of their 
establishment ? So far, however, from 
relaxing in their attention after this 
discovery, their politeness visibly in- 
creased, though, perhaps, a scrutinizing 
observer might have detected a shade 
of less cordiality in their manner. 

Rector. — Beneath the ceiling in every 
apartment ? I think I understood you 
so. How delightful — how truly inte- 
resting : a picture of the Blessed Virgin 
beneath the ceiling in every apartment 
of a Eussian house ! Truly, this intel- 
ligence is as unexpected as it is de- 
lightful. I shall from this moment 
entertain a much higher opinion of the 
Eussians than hitherto — most truly an 
example worthy of imitation. I wish 
sincerely that it was our own practice- 
to place an image of the Blessed Virgin 
beneath the ceiling in every corner of 
our houses. What say you, our pro- 
fessor of huinanity ? What say you to 
the information so obligingly commu- 
nicated to us by this excellent gentle- 
man ? 

Humanity Professor. — It is, indeed, 
most delightful, most cheering, I may 
say ; but I confess that I was not alto- 
gether unprepared for it. The adora- 
tion of the Blessed Virgin is becoming 



CHAP. V.] 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



21 



every day more extended in countries 
where it has hitherto been unknown or 

forgotten. Dr. W , when he passed 

through Lisbon, gave me some most 
interesting details with respect to the 
labours of the propaganda in India. 
Even England, oui own beloved coun- 
try 



My obliging friends showed me all 
over' their "poor house;" it certainly 
did not appear a very rich one ; it was 
spacious, and rather dilapidated. The 
library was small, and possessed no- 
thing remarkable ; the view, however, 
from the roof, over the greater part of 
Lisbon and the Tagus, was very grand 
and noble ; but I did not visit this place 
in the hope of seeing busts, or books, 
or fine prospects, — I visited this strange 
old house to converse with its inmates ; 
for my favourite. I might say, my only, 
study is man. I found these gentle- 
men much what I had anticipated ; for 
this was not the first time that I had 
visited an English ***** establish- 
ment in a foreign land. They were 
full of amiability and courtesy to their 
heretic countryman, and though the 
advancement of their religion was with 
them an object of paramount import- 
ance, I soon found that, with ludicrous 
inconsistency, they cherished, to a won- 
derful degree, national prejudices almost 
extinct in the mother land, even to the 
disparagement of those of their own 
darling faith. I spoke of the English 
* * * * * ? 0 f their high respectability, 
and of the loyalty which they had uni- 
formly displayed to their sovereign, 
though of a different religion, and by 
whom they had been not unfrequently 
subjected to much oppression and in- 
justice. 

Rector. — My dear Sir, I am rejoiced 
to hear you ; I see that you are well 
acquainted with the great body of those 
of our faith in England. They are as 
you have well described them, a most 
respectable and loyal body ; from loy- 
alty, indeed, they never swerved, and 
though they have been accused of plots 
and conspiracies, it is now well known 
that such had no real existence, but 
were merely calumnies invented by 
their religious enemies. During the 



civil wars the English ***** cheer- 
fully shed their blood and squandered 
their fortunes in the cause of the unfor- 
tunate martyr, notwithstanding that he 
never favoured them, and invariably 
looked upon them with suspicion. At 
present the English ***** are the 
most devoted subjects of our gracious 
sovereign. I should be happy if I could 
say as much for our Irish brethren; 
but their conduct has been — oh! de- 
testable. Yet what can you expect? 
The true ***** blush for them. A 
certain person is a disgrace to the 
church of which he pretends to be the 
servant. Where does he find in our 
canons sanction for his proceedings, his 
un dutiful expressions towards one who 
is his sovereign by divine right, and 
who can do no wrong? And above 
all, where does he find authority for 
inflaming the passions of a vile mob 
against a nation intended by nature and 
by position to command them ? 

Myself. — I believe there is an Irish 
college in this city ? 

Rector. — I believe there is; but it 
does not flourish, there are few or no 
pupils. Oh ! 

I looked through a window, at a 
great height, and saw about twenty or 
thirty fine lads sporting in a court be- 
low. " This is as it should be," said 
I ; " those boys will not make worse 
priests from a little early devotion to 
trap-ball and cudgel playing. I dis- 
like a staid, serious, puritanic educa- 
tion, as I firmly believe that it encou- 
rages vice and hypocrisy." 

We then went into the Rector's room, 
where, above a crucifix, was hanging a 
small portrait. 

Myself. — That was a great and por- 
tentous man, honest withal. I believe 
the body of which he was the founder, 
and which has been so much decried, 
has effected infinitely more good than 
it has caused harm. 

Rector. — What do I hear ? You an 
Englishman, and a Protestant, and yet 
an admirer of Ignatius Loyola ? 

Myself. — I will say nothing with re- 
spect to the doctrine of the Jesuits, for, 
as you have observed, I am a Pro- 
testant : but I am ready to assert that 
there are no people in the world better 



28 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



[chap. V 



qualified, upon the whole, to be in- 
trusted with the education of youth. 
Their moral system and discipline are 
truly admirable. Their pupils, in after- 
life, are seldom vicious and licentious 
characters, and are in general men of 
learning, science, and possessed of every 
elegant accomplishment. I execrate 
the conduct of the liberals of Madrid 
in murdering last year the helpless 
fathers, by whose care and instruction 
two of the finest minds of Spain have 
been evolved — the two ornaments of 
the liberal cause and modern literature 
of Spain, for such are Toreno and Mar- 
tinez de la Rosa 



Gathered in small clusters about the 
pillars at the lower extremities of the 
gold and silver streets in Lisbon, may 
be observed, about noon in every day, 
certain strange-looking men whose ap- 
pearance is neither Portuguese nor Eu- 
ropean. Their dress generally consists 
of a red cap, with a blue silken tassel 
at the top of it, a blue tunic girded at 
the waist with a red sash, and wide 
linen pantaloons or trousers. He who 
passes by these groups generally hears 
them conversing in broken Spanish or 
Portuguese, and occasionally in a harsh 
guttural language, which the oriental 
traveller knows to be the Arabic, or a 
dialect thereof. These people are the 
Jews of Lisbon. Into the midst of one 
of these groups I one day introduced 
myself, and pronounced a beraka, or 
blessing. I have lived in different parts 
of the world, much amongst the He- 
brew race, and am well acquainted 
with their ways and phraseology. I 
was rather anxious to become ac- 
quainted with the state of the Portu- 
guese Jews, and I had now an oppor- 
tunity. " The man is a powerful rabbi/' 
said a voice in Arabic ; 44 it behoves us 
to treat him kindly." They welcomed 
me. I favoured their mistake, and in 
a few days I knew all that related to 
ciiem and their traffic in Lisbon. 

The Jews of Europe at the present 
time are divided into two classes, — 
synagogues, as some call them, — the 
Portuguese and German. Of these the 
most celebrated is the Portuguese. Jews 
of this class are generally considered as 



more polished than the others, bet- 
ter educated, and more deeply versed 
both in the language of Scripture and 
the traditions of their forefathers. In 
London there is a stately edifice which 
is termed the synagogue of the Portu- 
guese Jews, where the rites of the He- 
brew religion are performed with all 
possible splendour and magnificence. 
Knowing all this, one would naturally 
expect on arriving in Portugal to find 
oneself in the head-quarters of that 
Judaism with which the mind has been 
accustomed to associate so much that 
is respectable and imposing. It was, 
therefore, with feelings of considerable 
surprise that I heard from the beings, 
whom I have attempted to describe 
above, the following account of them- 
selves : — " We are not of Portugal/' 
said they, " we come from Barbary, 
some from Algier, some from the Le- 
vant, but mostly from Barbary, yonder- 
away ! " And they pointed to the north- 
west. 

44 And where are the Jews of Portu- 
gal," I demanded : " the proper children 
of the country ? " 

44 We know of none but ourselves," 
replied the Barbaresques, 44 though we 
have heard say that there are others : 
if so, they do not come near us, and they 
do right, for we are an evil people, O 
thou Tsadik, and thieves to a man. A 
ship comes every year from Swirah ;* 
it brings a cargo of thieves, for it brings 
Jews." 

44 And your wives and families," said 
I, 44 where are they ? " 

44 In Swirah, or Salee, or other places 
from whence we come. We bring not our 
wives with us, nor our families : many 
of us have escaped hither barely with 
life, flying from the punishment due to 
our crimes. Some live in sin with the 
daughters of the Nazarene : for we are 
an evil race, O Tsadik, and do not ob- 
serve the precepts of the law." 

44 And have you synagogues and 
teachers ? " 

44 Both, O thou righteous one, yet 
little can be said of either : our chenou- 
rain are vile places, and our teachers 



* A sea-port in North Africa, better known 
by the name of Mogadore. 



CHAP. V.] 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



29 



are like ourselves, bound in the galoot 
of sin. One of them keeps in his house 
a daughter of the Nazarene ; he is from 
Swirah, and what good ever came from 
that shore ? " 

" You say your teachers are evil : do 
ye hearken unto their -words ? " 

" Of course we hearken unto them : 
how could we do else and In e ? Our 
teachers are evil men, and live by 
fraud, like ourselves ; yet still are they 
masters, men to be dreaded and obeyed. 
Have they not witchcraft at their com- 
mand and angels? Have they not 
words of power, and the Stem Ham- 
phorash ? Were we not to hearken to 
them, could they not consign our souls 
to horror, to mist and vapour, to mire 
and clay ? Even as thou could' st, 0 
righteous one ! " 

Such was the extraordinary language 
in connection with themselves which 
they held to me, and which I have no 
reason to doubt, as it was subsequently 
corroborated in more ways than one. 
How well do superstition and crime go 
hand in hand ! These wretched beings 
break the eternal commandments of 
their Maker without scruple ; but they 
will not partake of the beast of the un- 
cloven foot, and the fish which has no 
scales. They pay slight regard to the 
denunciations of holy prophets against 



the children of sin, but they quake at 
the sound of a dark cabalistic word 
pronounced by one perhaps their equal 
or superior in villany ; as if, as has 
been well observed, God would delegate 
the exercise of his power to the workers 
of iniquity. 

It is quite certain that at one period 
the Jews of Portugal were deservedly 
celebrated for wealth, learning, and 
polished manners ; the Inquisition, how- 
ever, played sad havoc with them: 
those who escaped the auto da fe, 
without becoming converts to popish 
idolatry, took refuge in foreign lands, 
particularly in England, where they 
still retain their original designation. 
At present, notwithstanding all religions 
are tolerated in Portugal, the genuine 
Jews of the country do not show them- 
selves ;* in their stead are seen the 
rabble of Barbary, and these only in the 
streets of Lisbon — outcasts who make 
no secret of their own degradation. 



* Strange anecdotes, however, are told, 
tending to prove that Jews of the ancient race 
are yet to be found in Portugal : it is said thai 
they have been discovered under circum- 
stances the most extraordinary. I am the 
more inclined to believe in their existence 
from certain strange incidents connected with 
a certain race, which occurred within the 
sphere of my own knowledge, and ^ iich wlU 
j be related further on. 



L 80 ; 



CHAPTER VI. 



Cold of Portugal — Extortion prevented— Sensation of Loneliness -The Dog — The Convent- 
Enchanting Landscape — Moorish Fortresses — Grayer for the Sick. 



About a fortnight after my return 
from Evora, having made the neces- 
sary preparations, I set out on my jour- 
ney for Badajoz, from which town I 
intended to take the diligence to Madrid. 
Badajoz lies about a hundred miles 
distant from Lisbon, and is the prin- 
cipal fi'ontier town of Spain in the 
direction of the Alemtejo. To reach 
this place, it was necessary to re-travel 
the road as far as Monte Moro, which 
I had already passed in my excursion 
to Evora ; I had therefore very little 
pleasure to anticipate from novelty of 
scenery. Moreover, in this journey I 
should be a solitary traveller, with no 
other companion than the muleteer, as 
it was my intention to take my servant 
no farther than Aldea Gallega, for which 
place I started at four in the afternoon. 
Warned by former experience, I did 
not now embark in a small boat, but in 
one of the regular passage felouks, in 
which we reached Aldea Gallega, after 
a voyage of six hours ; for the boat was 
heavy, there was no wind to propel it, 
and the crew were obliged to ply their 
huge oars the whole way. In a word, 
this passage was the reverse of the first, 
— safe in every respect, — but so sluggish 
and tiresome, that I a hundred times 
wished my self again under the guidance 
of the wild lad, galloping before the 
hurricane over the foaming billows. 
From eight till ten the cold was truly 
terrible, and though I was closely wrap- 
ped in an excellent fur " shoob," with 
which I had braved the frosts of Eus- 
sian winters, I shivered in every limb, 
and was far more rejoiced when I again 
set my foot on the Alemtejo, than when 
I landed for the first time, after hav- 
ing escaped the horrors of the tempest. - 
I took up my quarters for the night 
at a house to which my friend who 



feared the darkness had introduced me 
on my return from Evora, and where, 
though I paid mercilessly dear for every- 
thing, the accommodation was superior 
to that of the common inn in the square. 
My first care now was to inquire for 
mules to convey myself and baggage to 
Elvas, from whence there are but three 
short leagues to the Spanish town of 
Badajoz. The people of the house in- 
formed me that they had an excellent 
pair at my disposal, but when I in- 
quired the price, they were not ashamed 
to demand four moidores. I offered 
them three, which was too much, but 
which, however, they did not accept ; 
for knowing me to be an Englishman, 
they thought they had an excellent op- 
portunity to practise imposition, not 
imagining that a person so rich as an 
Englishman must be, would go out in 
a cold night for the sake of obtaining a 
reasonable bargain. They were, how- 
ever, much mistaken, as I told them 
that rather than encourage them in 
their knavery I should be content to 
return to Lisbon ; whereupon they 
dropped their demand to three and a 
half, but I made them no answer, and 
going out with Antonio, proceeded to the 
house of the old man who had accom- 
panied us to Evora. We knocked a 
considerable time, for he was in bed ; 
at length he arose and admitted us, but 
on heaiing our object, he said that his 
mules were again gone to Evora, under 
the charge of the boy, for the purpose 
of transporting some articles of mer- 
chandize. He, however, recommended 
us to a person in the neighbourhood 
who kept mules for hire, and there 
Antonio engaged two fine beasts for 
two moidores and a half. I say he 
engaged them, for I stood aloof and 
spoke not, and the proprietor, who 



CHAP. VI.] 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



31 



exhibited them, and who stood half- 
dressed, with a lamp in his hand, and 
.shivering with cold, was not aware 
that they were intended for a foreigner 
till the agreement was made, and he 
had. received a part of the sum in 
earnest. I returned to the inn well 
pleased, and having taken some re- 
freshment, went to rest, paying little 
attention to the people, who glanced 
daggers at me from their small Jewish 
eyes. 

At five the next morning the mules 
were at the door ; a lad of some nine- 
teen or twenty years of age attended 
them; he was short, but exceedingly 
strong built, and possessed the largest 
head which I ever beheld upon mortal 
shoulders ; neck he had none, at least 
I could discern nothing which could be 
entitled to that name. His features 
were hideously ugly, and upon address- 
ing him I discovered that he was an 
idiot Such was my intended com- 
panion in a journey of nearly a hundred 
miles, which would occupy four days, 
and which lay over the most savage 
and ill-noted track in the whole king- 
dom. I took leave of my servant almost 
with tears, for he had always served 
Die with the greatest fidelity, and had 
exhibited an assiduity and a wish to 
please which afforded me the utmost 
satisfaction. 

We started, my uncouth guide sitting 
tailor-fashion on the sumpter mule, upon 
the baggage. The moon had just gone 
down, and the morning was pitchy 
dark, and, as usual, piercingly cold. 
We soon entered the dismal wood, 
which. I had already traversed, and 
through which we wended our way for 
some time, slowly and mourniuny. 
Not a sound was to be heard save the 
trampling of the animals, not a breath 
of air moved the leafless branches, no 
animal stirred in the thickets, no bird, 
not even the owl, flew over our heads, 
all seemed desolate and dead : and dur- 
ing my many and far wanderings, I 
never experienced a greater sensation 
of loneliness, and a greater desire for 
conversation and an exchange of ideas 
than then. To speak to the idiot was 
useless, for though competent to show 
the road, with which he was well ac- 



quainted, he had no other answer than 
an uncouth laugh to any question put 
to him. Thus situated, like many other 
persons when human comfort is not at 
hand, I turned my heart to God, and 
began to commune with him, the result 
of which was that my mind soon be- 
came quieted and comforted. 

We passed on our way uninterrupted ; 
no thieves showed themselves, nor in- 
deed did we see a single individual 
until we arrived at Pegoens, and from 
thence to Vendas Novas our fortune 
was the same. I was welcomed with 
great kindness by the people of the 
hostelry of the latter place, who were 
well acquainted with me on account of 
my having twice passed the night under 
their roof. The name of the keeper of 
this inn is, or was, Joze Dias Azido, 
and, unlike the generality of those of 
the same profession as himself in Por- 
tugal, he is an honest man ; and a 
stranger and foreigner who takes up his 
quarters at his inn may rest assured 
that he will not be most unmercifully 
pillaged and cheated when the hour of 
reckoning shall arrive, as he will not 
be charged a single re more than a 
native Portuguese on a similar occasion. 
I paid at this place exactly one-half of 
the sum which was demanded from me 
at Arroyolos, where I passed the ensu- 
ing night, and where the accommoda- 
tion was in every respect inferior. 

At twelve next day we arrived at 
Monte Moro, and, as I was not pressed 
for time, I determined upon viewing the 
ruins which cover the top and middle 
part of the stately hill which towers 
above the town. Having ordered some 
refreshment at the inn where we dis- 
mounted, I ascended till I arrived at a 
large wall or rampart, which, at a cer- 
tain altitude, embraces the whole hill. 
I crossed a rude bridge of stones, which 
bestrides a small hollow or trench ; and 
passing by a large tower, entered 
through a portal into the inclosed part 
of the hill. On the left hand stood a 
church, in good preservation, and still 
devoted to the purposes of religion, but 
which I could not enter, as the door 
was locked, and I saw no one at hand 
to open it. 

T soon found that my curiosity had 



32 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



[CHAP. TI. 



led me to a most extraordinary place, 
which quite beggars the scanty powers 
of description ivith which I am gifted. 
I stumbled on amongst ruined walls, 
and at one time found I was treading 
over vaults, as I suddenly started back 
from a yawning orifice into which my 
next step, as I strolled musing along, 
would have precipitated me. I pro- 
ceeded for a considerable way by the 
eastern wall, till I heard a tremendous 
bark, and presently an immense dog, 
such as those which guard the flocks in 
the neighbourhood against the wolves, 
came bounding to attack me " with eyes 
that glowed, and fangs that grinned." 
Had I retreated, or had recourse to any 
other mode of defence than that which 
I invariably practise under such cir- 
cumstances, he would probably have 
worried me ; but I stooped till my chin 
nearly touched my knee, and looked 
him full in the eyes, and, as John Ley- 
den says, in the noblest ballad which 
the Land of Heather has produced : — 

" The hound he yowled, and back he fled, 
As struck with fairy charm." 

It is a fact known to many people, 
and I believe it has been frequently 
stated, that no large and fierce dog or 
animal of any kind, with the exception 
of the bull, which shuts its eyes and 
rushes blindly forward, will venture to 
attack an individual who confronts it 
with a firm and motionless countenance. 
I say large and fierce, for it is much 
easier to repel a bloodhound or bear of 
Finland in this manner than a dunghill 
cur or a terrier, against which a stick 
or a stone is a much more certain de- 
fence. This will astonish no one who 
considers that the calm reproving 
glance of reason, which allays the ex- 
cesses of the mighty and courageous in 
our own species, has seldom any other 
effect than to add to the insolence of the 
feeble and foolish, who become placid 
as doves upon the infliction of chastise- 
ments, which, if attempted to be applied 
to the former, would only serve to ren- 
der them more terrible, and like gun- 
powder cast on a flame, cause them, in 
mad desperation, to scatter destruction 
around them. 

The barking of the dog brought out | 



from a kind of alley an elderly man, 
whom I supposed to be his master, and 
of whom I made some inquiries respect- 
ing the place. The man was civil, and 
informed me that he served as a soldier 
in the British army, under the " great 
lord," during the Peninsular war. He 
said that there was a convent of nuns a 
little farther on, which he would show 
me, and thereupon led the way to the 
south-east part of the wall, where stood 
a large dilapidated edifice. 

We entered a dark stone apartment, 
at one corner of which was a kind of 
window occupied by a turning table, at 
which articles were received into the 
convent or delivered out. He rang the 
bell, and, without saying a word, re- 
tired, leaving me rather perplexed ; but 
presently I heard, though the speaker 
was invisible, a soft feminine voice de- 
manding who I was, and what I wanted. 
I replied, that I was an Englishman 
travelling into Spain ; and that passing 
through Monte Moro I had ascended the 
hill for the purpose of seeing the ruins. 
The voice then said, " I suppose you 
are a military man going to fight against 
the king, like the rest of your country- 
men." " No," said I, " I am not a 
military man, but a Christian ; and I 
go not to shed blood, but to endeavour 
to introduce the gospel of Christ into a 
country where it is not known where- 
upon there was a stifled titter. I then 
inquired if there were any copies of the 
Holy Scriptures in the convent; but 
the friendly voice could give me no in- 
formation on that point, and I scarcely 
believe that its possessor understood the 
purport of my question. It informed 
me, that the office of lady abbess of the 
house was an annual one, and that every 
year there was a fresh superior ; on my 
inquiring whether the nuns did not 
frequently find the time exceedingly 
heavy on their hands, it stated that* 
when they had nothing better to do, 
they employed themselves in making 
cheesecakes, which were disposed of 
in the neighbourhood. I thanked the 
voice for its communicatioDS, and walked 
away. Whilst proceeding under the 
wall of the house towards the south- 
west, I heard a fresh and louder titter- 
ing above my head, and looking up, 



PHAP. VI.J 



THE BIBLE 



IIN SPAIN. 



33 



saw three or four windows crowded 
with dusky laces, and black waving 
hair ; these belonged to the . nuns, 
anxious to obtain a view of the stranger. 
After kissing my hand repeatedly, I 
moved on, and soon arrived at the 
south - west end of this mountain of 
curiosities. There I found the remains 
of a large building, which seemed to 
have been originally erected in the 
shape of a cross. A tower at its eastern 
entrance was still entire; the western 
side was quite in ruins, and stood on 
the verge of the hill overlooking the 
valley, at the bottom of which ran the 
stream I have spoken of on a former 
i )ccasion. 

The day was intensely hot, notwith- 
standing the coldness of the preceding 
nights ; and the brilliant sun of Portugal 
now illumined a landscape of entrancing 
beauty. Groves of cork-trees covered 
the farther side of the valley and the 
distant acclivities, exhibiting here and 
there charming vistas, where various 
nocks of cattle were feeding ; the soft 
murmur of the stream, which was at 
intervals chafed and broken by huge 
stones, ascended to my ears and filled 
my mind with delicious feelings. I sat 
down on the broken wall and remained 
gazing, and listening, and shedding 
tears of rapture ; for of all the pleasures 
which a bountiful God permitteth his 
children to enjoy, none are so dear to 
some hearts as the music of forests, and 
streams, and the view of the beauties of 
his glorious creation. An hour elapsed, 
and I still maintained my seat on the 
wall ; the past scenes of my life flitting 
before my eyes in airy and fantastic 
array, through which every now and 
then peeped trees and hills, and other 
patches of the real landscape which I 
was confronting; the sun burnt my 
visage, but I heeded it not ; and I be- 
lieve that I should have remained till 
night, buried in these reveries, which, 
I confess, only serve to enervate the 
mind, and steal many a minute which 
might be most profitably employed, had 
not the report of the gun of a fowler in 
the valley, which awakened the echoes 
of the woods, hills, and ruins, caused 
nu to start on my feet, and remember 
that I had to proceed three leagues 



before I could reach the hostelry where 
I intended to pass the night. 

I bent my steps to the inn, passing 
along a kind of rampart : shortly before 
I reached the portal, which I have 
already mentioned, I observed a kind 
of vault on my right hand, scooped out 
of the side of the hill ; its roof was 
supported by three pillars, though part 
of it had given way towards the farther 
end, so that the light was admitted 
through a chasm in the top. It might 
have been intended for a chapel, a 
dungeon, or a cemetery, but I should 
rather think for the latter ; one thing 
I am certain of, that it was not the 
work of Moorish hands ; and indeed 
throughout my wandering in this place 
I saw nothing which reminded me of 
that most singular people. The hill on 
which the ruins stand was doubtless 
originally a strong fortress of the Moois, 
who, upon their first irruption into the 
peninsula, seized and fortified most of 
the lofty anu naturally strong positions, 
but they had probably lost it at an early 
period, so that the broken walls and 
edifices, which at present cover the hill, 
are probably remains of the labours 
of the Christians after the place had 
been rescued from the hands of the 
terrible enemies of their faith. Monte 
Moro will perhaps recall Cintra to 
the mind of the traveller, as it ex- 
hibits a distant resemblance to that 
place ; nevertheless, there is something 
in Cintra wild and savage, to which 
Monte Moro has no pretension ; its 
scathed and gigantic crags are piled 
upon each other in a manner which 
seems to menace headlong destruction 
to whatever is in the neighbourhood ; 
and the ruins which still cling to those 
crags seem more like eagles' nests than 
the remains of the habitations even of 
Moors ; whereas those of Monte Moro 
stand comparatively at their ease on 
the broad back of a hill, which, though 
stately and commanding, has no crags 
nor precipices, and which can be as- 
cended on every side without much 
difficulty : yet I was much gratified by 
my visit, and I shall wander far indeed 
before I forget the voice in the dilapi- 
dated convent, the ruined walls amongst 
which I strayed, and the rampart, 



34 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



[chap. VI. 



where, sunk in dreamy rapture, I sat 
during a bright sunny hour at Monte 
Moro. 

I returned to the inn, where I re- 
freshed myself with tea and very sweet 
and delicious cheesecakes, the handi- 
work of the nuns in the convent above. 
Observing gloom and unhappiness on 
the countenances of the people of the 
house, I inquired the reason of the 
hostess, who sat almost motionless on 
the hearth by the fire ; whereupon she 
informed me that her husband was 
deadly sick with a disorder which, from 
her description, 1 supposed to be a 
species of cholera ; she added, that the 
surgeon who attended him entertained 
no "hopes of his recovery. I replied 
that it was quite in the power of God 
to restore her husband in a few hours j 
from the verge of the grave to health I 



and vigour, and that it was her duty to 
pray to that Omnipotent Being with all 
fervency. I added, that if she did not 
know how to pray upon such an occa- 
sion, I was ready to pray for her, pro- 
vided she would join in the spirit of 
the supplication. I then offered up a 
short prayer in Portuguese, in which I 
entreated the Lord to remove, if he 
thought proper, the burden of affliction 
under which the family was labouring. 

The woman listened attentively, with 
her hands devoutly clasped, until the 
prayer was finished, and then gazed at 
me seemingly with astonishment, but 
uttered no word by which I could 
gather that she was pleased or dis- 
pleased with what I had said. I now 
bade the family farewell, and having 
mounted my mule, set forward to Aj> 
royolos. 



I 35 J 



CHAPTER VII. 



The Druid's Stone — The young Spaniard — Ruffianly Soldiers — Evils of War — Estremos— The 
Brawl — Ruined Watch-Tower — Glimpse of Spain — Old Times and New. 



After proceeding about a league and 
a half, a blast came booming from the 
north, rolling before it immense clouds 
of dust ; happily it did not blow in our 
faces, or it would have been difficult to 
proceed, so great was its violence. We 
had left the road in order to take ad- 
vantage of one of those short cuts, 
which, though passable for a horse or 
a mule, are far too rough to permit any 
species of carriage to travel along them. 
We were in the midst of sands, brush- 
wood, and huge pieces of rock, which 
thickly studded the ground. These 
are the stones which form the sierras 
of Spain and Portugal ; those singular 
mountains which rise in naked horrid- 
ness, like the ribs of some mighty car- 
cass from which t?ie flesh has been torn. 
Many of these stones, or rocks, grew 
out of the earth, and many lay on its 
surface unattached, perhaps wrested 
from their bed by the waters of the 
deluge. Whilst toiling along these 
wild wastes, I observed, a little way to 
my left, a pile of stones of rather a sin- 
gular appearance, and rode up to it. 
It was a Druidical altar, and the most 
perfect and beautiful one of the kind 
which I had ever seen. It was circu- 
lar, and consisted of stones immensely 
large and heavy at the bottom, which 
towards the top became thinner and 
thinner, having been fashioned by the 
hand of art to something of the shape 
of scollop shells. These were sur- 
mounted by a very large flat stone, 
which slanted down towards the south, 
where was a door. Three or four in- 
dividuals might have taken shelter 
within the interior, in which was grow- 
ing a small thorn-tree. 

I gazed with reverence and awe upon 
the pile where the first colonies of 
Europe offered their worship to the 



unknown God. The temples of the 
mighty and skilful Roman, compara- 
tively of modern date, have crumbled 
to dust in its neighbourhood. The 
churches of the Arian Goth, his suc- 
cessor m power, have sunk beneath the 
earth and are not to be found ; and the 
mosai\ 33 of the Moor, the conqueror of 
tne Goth, where and what are they ? 
Upon the rock, masses of hoary and 
vanishing ruin. Not so the Druid's 
stone ; there it stands on the hill of 
winds, as strong and as freshly new as 
the day, perhaps thirty centuries back, 
when it was first raised, by means 
which are a mystery. Earthquakes 
nave heaved it, but its cope-stone has 
not fallen ; rain floods have deluged it, 
but failed to sweep it from its station ; 
the burning sun has flashed upon it, 
but neither split nor crumbled it ; and 
time, stern old time, has rubbed it with 
his iron tooth, and with what effect let. 
those who view it declare. There it 
stands, and he who wishes to study the 
literature, the learning, and the history 
of the ancient Celt and Cymbrian, may 
gaze on its broad covering, and glean 
from that blank stone the whole known 
amount. The Roman has left behind 
him his deathless writings, his history, 
and his songs ; the Goth his liturgy, his 
traditions, and the germs of noble in- 
stitutions ; the Moor his chivalry, his 
discoveries in medicine, and the founda- 
tions of modern commerce ; and where 
is the memorial of the Druidic races ? 
Yonder : that pile of eternal stone ! 

We arrived at Arroyolos about seven 
at night. I took possession of a large 
two-bedded room, and, as I was pr e- 
paring to sit down to supper, the 
hostebs came to inquire whether I had 
any objection to receive a young Spa- 
niard for the night. She said he had 



So 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



| CHAP. 



just arrived with a train of muleteers, 
and that she had no other room in 
which she could lodge him. I replied 
that I was willing, and in about half 
an hour he made his appearance, hav- 
ing first supped with his companions. 
He was a very gentlemanly, good-look- 
ing lad of seventeen. He addressed me 
in his native language, and, finding 
that I understood him, he commenced 
talking with astonishing volubility. In 
the space of five minutes he informed 
me that, having a desire to see the 
world, he had run away from his 
friends, who were people of opulence 
at Madrid, and that he did not intend 
to return until he had travelled through 
various countries. I told him that if 
what he said was t rue, he had done a 
very wicked and foolish action ; wicked, 
because he must have overwhelmed j 
those with grief whom he was bound | 
to honour and love, and foolish, inas- j 
much as he was going to expose him- 
self to inconceivable miseries and hard- 
ships, which would shortly cause him 
to rue the step he had taken ; that he 
would be only welcome in foreign 
countries so long as he had money to 
spend, and when he had none, he would 
be repulsed as a vagabond, and would 
perhaps be allowed to perish of hunger. 
He replied that he had a considerable 
sum of money with him, no less than a 
hundred dollars, which would last him 
a long time, and that when it was spent 
he should perhaps be able to obtain 
more. " Your hundred dollars," said 
I, " will scarcely last you three months 
in the country in which you are, even 
if it be not stolen from you ; and you 
may as well hope to gather money on 
the tops of the mountains as expect to 
procure more by honourable means." 
But he had not yet sufficiently drank 
of the cup of experience to attend much 
to what I said, and I soon after changed 
the subject. About five next morning 
he came to my bed-side to take leave, 
as his muleteers were preparing to de- 
part. I gave him the usual Spanish 
valediction ( Vaya listed con Dios), and 
saw no more of him. 

At nine, after having paid a most ex- 
orbitant sum for slight accommodation, " 
[ started from Arroyolos, which is a 



town or large village situated on verj 
elevated ground, and discernible afar 
off. It can boast of the remains of a 
large ancient and seemingly Moorish 
castle, which stands on a hill on the 
left as you take the road to Estremoz. 

About a mile from Arroyolos I over- 
took a train of carts, escorted by a 
number of Portuguese soldiers, con- 
veying stores and ammunition into 
Spain. Six or seven of these soldiers 
marched a considerable way in front ; 
they were villancus-looking ruffians, 
upon whose livid and ghastly counte- 
nances were written murder, and all 
the other crimes which the decalogue 
forbids. As I passed by, one of them, 
with a harsh, croaking voice, commenced 
cursing all foreigners. " There," said he, 
" is this Frenchman riding on horse- 
back," (I was on a mule,) " with a man " 
(the idiot) " to take care of him, and ail 
because lie is rich ; whilst I, who am a 
poor soldier, am obliged to tramp on 
foot. I could find it in my heart to 
shoot him dead, for in what respect is 
he better than I ? But he is a fo- 
reigner, and the devil helps foreigners 
and hates the Portuguese." He con- 
tinued shoutino' his remarks until I 
got about forty yards in advance, when 
I commenced laughing ; but it would 
have been more prudent in me to have 
held my peace, for the next moment, 
with bang — bang, two bullets, well 
aimed, came whizzing past my ears. 
A small river lay just before me, 
though the bridge was a considerable 
way on my left. I spurred my animal 
through it, closely followed by the ter- 
rified guide, and commenced galloping 
along a sandy plain on the other side, 
and so escaped with my life. 

These fellows, whir the look of ban- 
ditti, were in no respect better ; and the 
traveller who should meet them in a 
solitary place would have little reason 
to bless his good fortune. One of the 
carriers (all of whom were Spaniards 
from the neighbourhood of Badajoz, 
and had been despatched into Portugal 
for the purpose of conveying the stores), 
whom I afterwards met in the aforesaid 
town, informed me that the whole party 
were equally bad, and that he and his 
companions had been plundered by 



CHAP. VII.] 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



37 



them of various articles, and threatened 
with death if they attempted to com- 
plain. How frightful to figure to one- 
self an army of such beings in a foreign 
land, sent thither either to invade or 
defend; and yet Spain at the time I 
rim writing this is looking forward 
to armed assistance from Portugal ! 
May the Lord in his mercy grant 
that the soldiers who proceed to her 
assistance may be of a different stamp : 
and yet, from the lax state of dis- 
cipline which exists in the Portuguese 
army, in comparison with that of Eng- 
land and France, I am afraid that the 
inoffensive population of the disturbed 
provinces will say that wolves have 
been summoned to chase away foxes 
from the sheep-fold. O ! may I live to 
see the day when soldiery wijl no 
longer be tolerated in any civilized, 
or at least Christian country. 

I pursued my route to Estremoz, 
passing by Monte Moro Novo, which 
is a tall dusky hill, surmounted by an 
ancient edifice, probably Moorish. The 
country was dreary and deserted, but 
offering here and there a valley studded 
with cork-trees and azinheiras. After 
mid-day the wind, which during the 
night and morning had much auateu. 
again blew with such violence as nearly 
to deprive me of my senses, though it 
was still in our rear. 

I was heartily glad when, on ascend- 
ing a rising ground, at about four 
o'clock, I saw Estremoz on its hill at 
something less than a league's distance. 
Here the view became wildly interest- 
ing ; the sun was sinking in the midst 
of red and stormy clouds, and its rays 
were rejected on the dun walls of the 
lofty town to which we were wending. 
Not far distant to the south-west rose 
Serra Dorso, which I had seen from 
Evora, and which is the most beautiful 
mountain in the Alemtejo. My idiot 
guide turned his uncouth visage to- 
wards it, and becoming suddenly in- 
spired, opened his mouth for the first 
time during the day, I might almost 
say since we had left Aldea Gallega, 
and began to tell me what rare hunting 
was to be obtained in that mountain. 
He likewise described with great mi- 
nuteness a wonderful dog, which was 



kept in the neighbourhood for the pur- 
pose of catching the wolves and wild 
boars, and for which the proprietor had 
refused twenty moidores. 

At length we reached Estremoz, and 
took up our quarters at the principal 
inn, which looks upon a large plain or 
market-place occupying the centre of 
the town, and which is so extensive 
that I should think ten thousand sol- 
diers at least might perform their evo- 
lutions there with ease. 

The cold was far too terrible to per- 
mit me to remain in the chamber to 
which I had been conducted ; I there- 
fore went down to a kind of kitchen on 
one side of the arched passage, which 
led under the house to the yard and 
stables. A tremendous withering blast 
poured through this passage, like the 
water through the flush of a mill. A 
large cork-tree was blazing in the kit- 
chen beneath a spacious chimney ; and 
around it were gathered a noisy crew 
of peasants and farmers from the 
neighbourhood, and three or four Spa- 
nish smugglers from the frontier. I 
with difficulty obtained a place amongst 
them, as a Portuguese or a Spaniard 
will seldom make way for a stranger, 
till called upon or pushed aside, but 
prefers gazing upon him with an ex- 
pression which seems to say, I know 
what you want, but I prefer remaining 
where I am. 

I now first began to observe an alter- 
ation in the language spoken ; it had 
become less sibilant, and more guttural ; 
and, when addressing each other, the 
speakers used the Spanish title of cour- 
tesy usted, or your worthiness, instead 
of the Portuguese high flowing vossem 
se, or your lordship. This is the result 
of constant communication with the 
natives of Spain, who never condescend 
to speak Portuguese, even when in 
Portugal, but persist in the use of their 
own beautiful language, which, per- 
haps, at some future period, the Por- 
tuguese will generally adopt. This 
would greatly facilitate the union of 
the two countries, hitherto kept asunder 
by the natural waywardness of man- 
kind. 

I had not been seated long before 
the blazing pile, when a fellow, mounted 



38 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



[CHAP. V21 



on a fine spirited horse, dashed from 
the stables through the passage into the 
kitchen, where he commenced display- 
ing his horsemanship, by causing the 
animal to wheel about with the velocity 
of a mill-stone, to the great danger of 
every body in the apartment. He then 
galloped out upon the plain,* and after 
half an hour's absence returned, and 
having placed his horse once more in 
the stable, came and seated himself 
next to me, to whom he commenced 
talking in a gibberish of which I under- 
stood very little, but which he intended 
for French. He was half intoxicated, 
and soon became three parts so, by 
swallowing glass after glass of aguar- 
diente. Finding that I made him no 
answer, he directed his discourse to one 
of the contrabandistas, to whom he 
talked in bad Spanish. The latter 
either did not or would not understand 
him ; but at last, losing patience, called 
him a drunkard, and told him to hold 
his tongue. The fellow, enraged at 
this contempt, flung the glass out of 
which he was drinking at the Spaniard's 
head, who sprang up like a tiger, and 
unsheathing instantly a snick and snee 
knife, made an upward cut at the fel- 
low's cheek, and would have infallibly 
laid it open, had I not pulled his arm 
down just in time to prevent worse 
effects than a scratch above the lower 
jaw-bone, which, however, drew blood. 

The smuggler's companions inter- 
fered, and with much difficulty led him 
off to a small apartment in the rear of 
the house, where they slept, and kept 
the furniture of their mules. The 
drunkard then commenced singing, or 
rather yelling, the Marseillois hymn ; 
and after having annoyed every one 
for nearly an hour, was persuaded to 
mount his horse and depart, accom- 
panied by one of his neighbours. He 
was a pig merchant of the vicinity, but 
had formerly been a trooper in the 
army of Napoleon, where, I suppose, 
like the drunken coachman of Evora, 
he had picked up his French and his 
habits of intoxication. 

From Estremoz to Elvas the distance 
is six leagues. I started at nine next 
morning ; the first part of the way lay 
through an inclosed country, but we 



soon emerged upon wild bleak downs, 
over which the wind, which still pur- 
sued us, howled most mournfully. We 
met no one on the route ; and the scene 
was desolate in the extreme ; the heaven 
was of a dark grey, through which no 
glimpse of the sun was to be perceived. 
Before us, at a great distance, on an 
elevated ground, rose a tower — the only 
object which broke the monotony of the 
waste. In about two hours from the 
time when we first discovered it, we 
reached a fountain, at the foot of the 
hill on which it stood ; the water, 
which gushed into a long stone trough, 
was beautifully clear and transparent, 
and we stopped here to water the 
animals. 

Having dismounted, I left the guide, 
and proceeded to ascend the hill on 
which the tower stood. Though the 
ascent was very gentle, I did not ac- 
complish it without difficulty; the 
ground was covered with sharp stones, 
which, in two or three instances, cut 
through my boots and wounded my 
feet ; and the distance was much greater 
than I had expected. I at last arrived 
at the ruin, for such it was. I found 
it had been one of those watch-towers 
or small fortresses called in Portuguese 
atalaias ; it was square, and surrounded 
by a wall, broken down in many places. 
The tower itself had no door, the lower 
part being of solid stone work ; but on 
one side were crevices at intervals be- 
tween the stones, for the purpose of 
placing the feet, and up this rude stair- 
case I climbed to a small apartment, 
about five feet square, from which the 
top had fallen. It commanded an ex- 
tensive view from all sides, and had 
evidently been built for the accommo- 
dation of those whose business it was 
to keep watch on the frontier, and at 
the appearance of an enemy to alarm 
the country by signals — probably by a 
fire. Eesolute men might have de- 
fended themselves in this little fastness 
against many assailants, who must have 
been completely exposed to their arrows 
or musketry in the ascent. 

Being about to leave the place, I 
heard a strange cry behind a part of 
the wall which I had not visited, and 
hastening thither, I found a miserable 



CHAP. VII.] 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN 



89 



object in rags, seated upon a stone. It 
was a maniac — a man about thirty 
years of age, and I believe deaf and 
dumb ; there he sat, gibbering and 
mowing, and distorting his wild fea- 
tures into various dreadful appearances. 
There wanted nothing but this object 
to render the scene complete ; banditti 
amongst such melancholy desolation 
would have been by no means so much 
in keeping. But the maniac, on his 
stone, in the rear of the wind-beaten 
ruin, overlooking the blasted heath, 
above which scowled the leaden hea- 
ven, presented such a picture of gloom 
and misery as I believe neither painter 
nor poet ever conceived in the saddest 
of their musings. This is not the first 
instance in which it has been my lot 
to verify the wisdom of the saying, 
that truth is sometimes wilder than 
fiction. 

I remounted my mule, and proceeded 
till, on the top of another hill, my 
guide suddenly exclaimed, " There is 
Elvas." I looked in the direction in 
which he pointed, and beheld a town 
perched on the top of a lofty hill. On 
the other side of a deep valley towards 
the left rose another hill, much higher, 
on the top of which is the celebrated 
fort of Elvas, believed to be the strong- 
est place in Portugal. Through the 
opening between the fort and the town, 
but in the background and far in Spain, 
I discerned the misty sides and cloudy 
head of a stately mountain, which I 
afterwards learned was Albuquerque, 
one of the loftiest of Estremadura. 



We now got into a cultivated coun- 
try, and following the road, which 
wound amongst hedge-rows, we arrived 
at a place Avhere the ground began 
gradually to shelve down. Here, on 
the right, was the commencement of 
an aqueduct, by means of which the 
town on the opposite hill was supplied ; 
: t was at this point scarcely two feet in 
altitude, but, as we descended, it be- 
came higher and higher, and its pro- 
portions more colossal. Near the bot- 
tom of the valley it took a turn to the 
left, bestriding the road with one of its 
arches. I looked up, after passing 
under it ; the water must have been 
flowing near a hundred feet above my 
head, and I was filled with wonder at 
the immensity of the structure which 
conveyed it. There was, however, 
one feature which was no slight draw- 
back to its pretensions to grandeur and 
magnificence : the water was supported 
not by gigantic single arches, like those 
of the aqueduct of Lisbon, which stalk 
over the valley like legs of Titans, but 
by three layers of arches, which, like 
three distinct aqueducts, rise above 
each other. The expense and labour 
necessary for the erection of such a 
structure must have been enormous : 
and when we reflect with what com- 
parative ease modern art would confer 
the same advantage, we cannot help 
congratulating ourselves that we live 
in times when it is not necessary to 
exhaust the wealth of a province to sup- 
ply a town on a hill with one of the 
first necessaries of existence. 



CHAPTER VIII. 



Elvas— Extraordinary Longevity—The English Nation — Portuguese Ingratitude — Iilioeraiity— 
Fortifications — Spanish Beggar — Badajoz — The Custom-House. 



Arrived at the gate of Elvas, an offi- 
cer came out of a kind of guardhouse, 
and, having asked me some questions, 
despatched a soldier with me to the 
police-office, that my passport might 
be viseed, as upon the frontier they are 
much more particular with respect to 
passports than in other parts. This 
matter having been settled, I entered 
an hostelry near the same gate, which 
had been recommended to me by my 
host at Vendas Novas, and which was 
kept by a person of the name of Joze 
Rosado. It was the best in the town, 
though, for convenience and accommo- 
dation, inferior to a hedge alehouse in 
England. The cold still pursued me, 
and I was glad to take refuge in an 
inner kitchen, which, when the door 
was not open, was only lighted by a 
fire burning somewhat dimly on the 
hearth. An elderly female sat beside 
it in her chair, telling her beads : there 
was something singular and extraor- 
dinary in her look, as well as I could 
discern by the imperfect lighj of the 
apartment. I put a few unimportant 
questions to her, to which she replied, 
but seemed to be afflicted to a slight 
degree with deafness. Her hair was 
becoming grey, and I said that I be- 
lieved she was older than myself, but 
that I was confident she had less snow 
on her head. 

" How old may you be, cavalier ? " 
said she, giving me that title which in 
Spain is generally used when an extra- 
ordinary degree of respect is wished to 
be exhibited. I answered that I was 
near thirty. " Then," said she, " you 
were right in supposing that I am older 
than yourself ; I am older than your 
mother, or your mother's mother : it 
is more than a hundred years since I 



was a girl, and sported with the daugh- 
ters of the town on the hill-side." " In 
that case," said I, " you doubtless re- 
member the earthquake." " Yes," she 
replied, " if there is any occurrence in 
my life that I remember, it is that : I 
was in the church of Elvas at the mo- 
ment, hearing the mass of the king, 
and the priest fell on the ground, and 
let fall the Host from his hands. I 
shall never forget how the earth shook; 
it made us all sick ; and the houses 
and walls reeled like drunkards. Since 
that happened I have seen fourscore 
years pass by me, yet I was older then 
than you are now " 

I looked with wonder at this sur- 
prising female, and could scarcely be- 
lieve her words. I was, however, 
assured that she was in fact upwards 
of a hundred and ten years of age, and 
was considered the oldest person in 
Portugal. She still retained the use 
of her faculties in as full a degree as 
the generality of people who have 
scarcely attained the half of her age. 
She was related to the people of the 
house. 

As the night advanced, several per- 
sons entered for the purpose of enjoy- 
ing the comfort of the fire, and for the 
sake of conversation, for the house was 
a kind of news-room, where the prin- 
cipal speaker was the host, a man of 
some shrewdness and experience, who 
had served as a soldier in the British 
army. Amongst others was the officer 
who commanded at the gate. After a 
few observations, this gentleman, who 
was a good-looking young man of five- 
and-twenty, began to burst forth in 
violent declamation against the English 
nation and government, who, he said, 
had at all times proved themselves sei- 



chap. vin.J 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



41 



fish and deceitful, but that their present 
conduct in respect to Spain was parti- 
cularly infamous, for though it was in 
their power to put an end to the war 
at once, by sending a large army thi- 
ther, they preferred sending a handful 
of troops, in order that the war might 
be prolonged, for no other reason than 
that it was of advantage to them. Hav- 
ing paid him an ironical compliment 
for his politeness and urbanity, I asked 
whether he reckoned amongst the sel- 
fish actions of the English government 
and nation, their having expended 
hundreds of millions of pounds ster- 
ling, and an ocean of precious blood, 
in fighting the battles of Spain and 
Portugal against Napoleon. " Surely," 
said I, " the fort of Elvas above our 
heads, and still more the castle of Ba- 
dajoz over the water, speak volumes 
respecting English selfishness, and 
must, every time you view them, con- 
firm you in the opinion which you 
have just expressed. And then, with 
respect to the present combat in Spain, 
the gratitude which that country evin- 
ced to England after the French, by 
means of English armies, had been 
expelled, — gratitude evinced by dis- 
couraging the trade of England on all 
occasions, and by offering up masses in 
thanksgiving when the English here- 
tics quitted the Spanish shores, ought 
now to induce England to exhaust and 
ruin herself, for the sake of hunting 
Don Carlos out of his mountains. In 
deference to your superior judgment," 
continued I to the officer, " I will en- 
deavour to believe that it would be for 
the advantage of England were the 
war prolonged for an indefinite period ; 
nevertheless, you would do me a par- 
ticular favour by explaining by what 
process in chemistry blood shed in 
Spain will find its way into the English 
treasury in the shape of gold." 

As he was not ready with his an- 
swer, 1 took up a plate of fruit which 
stood on the table beside me, and said, 
" What do you call these fruits ? " 
u Pomegranates and bolotas," he re- 
plied. " Right," said I, " a home- 
bred Englishman could not have given 
me that answer ; yet he is as much ac- 



quainted with pomegranates and bo- 
lotas as your lordship is with the line 
of conduct which it is incumbent upon 
England to pursue in her foreign and 
domestic policy." 

This answer of mine, I confess, was 
not that of a Christian, and proved to 
me how much of the leaven of the an- 
cient man still pervaded me ; yet 1 
must be permitted to add that I believe 
no other provocation would have eli- 
cited from me a reply so full of angry 
feeling : but I could not command my- 
self when I heard my own glorious 
land traduced in this unmerited man- 
ner. By whom ? A Portuguese ! A 
native of a country which has been 
twice liberated from horrid and detest- 
able thraldom by the hands of English- 
men. But for Wellington and his 
heroes, Portugal would ha^ve been 
French at this day ; but for Napier and 
his mariners, Miguel would now be 
lording it in Lisbon. To return, how- 
ever, to the officer : every one laughed 
at him, and he presently went away. 

The next day I became acquainted 
with a respectable tradesman, of the 
name of Almeida, a man of talent, 
though rather rough in his manners. 
He expressed great abhorrence of the 
papal system, which had so long spread 
a darkness, like that of death, over his 
unfortunate country ; and I had no 
sooner informed him that I had brought 
with me a certain quantity of Testa- 
ments, which it was my intention to 
leave for sale at Elvas, than he ex- 
pressed a great desire to undertake the 
charge, and said that he would do the 
utmost in his power to procure a sale 
for them amongst his numerous cus- 
tomers. Upon showing him a copy, I 
remarked, your name is upon the title- 
page ; the Portuguese version of the 
Holy Scriptures, circulated by the 
Bible Society, having been executed 
by a Protestant, of the name of Al- 
meida, and first published in the year 
1712; whereupon he smiled, and ob- 
served that he esteemed it an honour to 
be connected in name at least with such 
a man. He scoffed at the idea of re- 
ceiving any remuneration, and assured 
me that the feeling of being permitted 



42 



THE BIBLE 



IN SPAIN. 



[CHAP. VIII. 



to co-operate in so holy and useful a 
cause as the circulation of the Scrip- 
tures was quite a sufficient reward. 

After having accomplished this mat- 
ter, I proceeded to survey the environs 
of the place, and strolled up the hill to 
the fort on the north side of the town. 
The lower part of the hill is nianteu ! 
with azinheiras, which give it a pic- 
turesque appearance, and at the bottom 
is a small brook, which I crossed by 
means of stepping-stones. Arrived at 
the gate of the fort, I was stopped by 
the sentry, who, however, civilly told 
me that if I sent in my name to the 
commanding officer, he would make no 
objection to my visiting the interior. I 
accordingly sent in my card by a sol- 
dier who was lounging about, and, sit- 
ting down on a stone, waited his return. 
He presently appeared, and inquired 
whether I was an Englishman ; to 
which having replied in the affirmative, 
he said, " In that case. Sir, you cannot 
enter ; indeed, it is not the custom to 
permit any foreigners to visit the fort." 
I answered that it was perfectly indif- 
ferent to me whether I visited it or 
not ; and, having taken a survey of 
Badajoz from the eastern side of the 
hill, descended by the way I came. 

This is one of the beneficial results 
of protecting a nation, and squandering 
blood and treasure in its defence. The 
English, who have never been at war 
with Portugal, who have fought for its 
independence on land and sea, and al- 
ways with success, who have forced 
themselves, by a treaty of commerce, to 
drink its coarse and filthy wines, which 
no other nation cares to taste, are the most 
unpopular people who visit Portugal. 
The French have ravaged the country 
with fire and sword, and shed the blood 
of its sons like water ; the French buy 
not its fruits, and loathe its wines, yet 
there is no bad spirit in Portugal 
towards the French. The reason of 
this is no mystery ; it is the nature not 
of the Portuguese only, but of corrupt 
and unregenerate man, to dislike his 
benefactors, who, by conferring benefits 
upon him, mortify in the most generous 
manner his miserable vanity. 

There is no country in which the 



English are so popular as in France , 
but, though the French have been fre- 
quently roughly handled by the Eng- 
lish, and have seen their capital occu- 
pied by an English army, they have 
never been subjected to the supposed 
ignominy of receiving assistance from 
mem. 

The fortifications of Elvas are models 
of their kind, and, at the first view, it 
would seem that the town, if well gar- 
risoned, might bid defiance to any hos- 
tile power ; but it has its weak point : 
the western side is commanded by a 
hill, at the distance of half a mile, from 
which an experienced general woidd 
cannonade it, and probably with suc- 
cess. It is the last town in this part of 
Portugal, the distance to the Spanish 
frontier being barely two leagues. It 
was evidently built as a rival to Bada- 
joz, upon which it looks down from its 
height across a sandy plain and over 
the sullen waters of the Guadiana; but, 
though a strong town, it can scarcely 
be called a defence to the frontier, 
which is open on all sides, so that there 
would not be the slightest necessity for 
an invading army to approach within a 
dozen leagues of its walls, should it be 
disposed to avoid them. Its fortifica- 
tions are so extensive that ten thousand 
men at least would be required to man 
them, who, in the event of an invasion, 
might be far better employed in meet- 
ing the enemy in the open field. The 
French, during their occupation of 
Portugal, kept a small force in this 
place, who, at the approach of the Bri- 
tish, retreated to the fort, where they 
shortly after capitulated. 

Having nothing farther to detain me at 
Elvas, I proceeded to cross the frontier 
into Spain. My idiot guide was on his 
way back to Aldea Gallega; and, on 
the fifth of January, I mounted a sorry 
mule, without bridle or stirrups, which 
I guided by a species of halter, and fol- 
lowed by a lad who was to attend me 
on another, I spurred down the hill of 
Elvas to the plain, eager to arrive in 
old chivalrous romantic Spain. But I 
soon found that I had no need to 
quicken the beast which bore me, for, 
though covered with sores, wall-eyed 



CHAP. VIII.] 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



43 



and with a kind of halt in its gait, it j 
cantered along like the wind. 

In little more than half an hour we 
arrived at a brook, whose waters ran vi- 
gorously between steep banks. A man 
who was standing on the side directed 
me to the ford in the squeaking dialect of 
Portugal ; but whilst I was yet splash- 
ing through the water, a voice from the 
other bank hailed me, in the magnifi- 
cent language of Spain, in this guise : 
" O Sefior Caballero, que me de listed 
una limosna por amor de Dios, una li- 
mosnita para que io me compre un tra- 
guillo de vino tinto" (Charity, Sir 
Cavalier, for the love of God, bestow 
an alms upon me, that I may purchase 
a mouthful of red wine.) In a mo- 
ment I was on Spanish ground, as the 
brook, which is called Acaia, is the 
boundary here of the two kingdoms, and, ( 
having hung the beggar a small piece 
of silver, I cried in ecstasy " Santiago 
y cierra EspaTia 1 " and scoured on my 
way with more speed than before, pay- 
ing, as Gil Bias says, little heed to the 
torrent of blessings which the mendi- 
cant poured forth in rny rear : yet never 
was charity more unwisely bestowed, for 
I was subsequently informed that the 
fellow was a confirmed drunkard, who 
took his station every morning at the 
ford, where he remained the whole day 
for the purpose of extorting money from 
the passengers, which he regularly 
spent every night in the wine-shops of 
Badajoz. To those who gave him money 
he returned blessings, and to those who 
refused, curses; being equally skilled 
and fluent in the use of either. 

Badajoz was now in view, at the dis- 
tance of little more than half a league. 
We soon took a turn to the left, towards 
a bridge of many arches across the 
Guadiana, which, though so famed in 
song and ballad, is a very unpicturesque 
stream, shallow and sluggish, though 
tolerably wide ; its banks were white 
with linen which the washerwomen 
had spread out to dry in the sun, which 
was shining brightly; I heard their 
singing at a great distance, and the 
theme seemed to be the praises of the 
river where they were toiling, for as I 
approached I could distinguish Gua- 



j diana, Guadiana, which reverberated 
far and wide, pronounced by the clear 
and strong voices in chorus of many a 
dark-cheeked maid and matron. I 
thought there was some analogy be- 
tween their employment and my own : 
I was about to tan my northern com- 
plexion by exposing myself to the hot 
sun of Spain, in the humble hope of be- 
ing able to cleanse some of the foul 
stains of Popery from the minds of its 
children, with whom I had little ac- 
quaintance ; whilst they were bronzing 
themselves on the banks of the river in 
order to make white the garments of 
strangers : the words of an eastern poet 
returned forcibly to my mind — 

" I '11 weary myself each night and each day, 
To aid my unfortunate brothers ; 
As the laundress tans her own face in the ray, 
To cleanse the garments of others." 

Having crossed the bridge, we arrived 
at the northern gate, when out rushed 
from a species of sentry-box a fellow 
wearing on his head a high-peaked An- 
dalusian hat, with his figure wrapped 
up in one of those immense cloaks so 
well known to those who have travelled 
in Spain, and which none but a Spaniard 
can wear in a becoming manner : with- 
out saying a word, he laid hold of the 
halter of the mule, and began to lead it 
through the gate up a dirty street, 
crowded with long-cloaked people like 
himself. I asked him what he meant, 
but he deigned not to return an an- 
swer; the boy, however, who waited 
upon me said that it was one of the 
gate-keepers, and that he was conduct- 
ing us to the Custom-house or Alfan- 
dega, where the baggage would be ex- 
amined. Having arrived there, the fel- 
low, who still maintained a dogged 
silence, began to pull the trunks off the 
sumpter-mule, and commenced uncord- 
ing them. I was about to give him a 
severe reproof for his brutality; but 
before I could open my mouth a stout 
elderly personage appeared at the door, 
who I soon found was the principal 
officer. He looked at me for a moment 
and then asked me, in the English lan- 
guage, if I was an Englishman. On 
my replying in the affirmative, he de- 
manded of the fellow how he dared to 



4 4 



THE BIELE IN SPAIN. 



[CHAP. VI IT. 



ha\ t j the insolence to touch the baggage 
without orders, and sternly bade him 
cord up the trunks again and place 
them on the mule, which he performed 
without uttering a word. The gentle- 
man then asked what the trunks con- 
tained : I answered clothes and linen ; 
Wht-13 he begged pardon for the inso- 



lence of the subordinate, and informed 
me that I was at liberty to proceed 
where I thought proper. I thanked 
him for his exceeding politeness; and, 
under guidance of the boy, made the 
best of my way to the Inn of the Thre* 
Nations, to which I had been reoont> 
mended at Elvas. 



CHAPTER IX, 



BfttUjoi —Antonio the Gypsy— Antonio's Proposal — The Proposal accepted — Gypsy Break- 
fast — Departure from Badajoz — The Gypsy Donkey — Merida — The ruined Wall — Tb4 
Crone — The Land of the Moor— The Black Men — Life in the Desert — The Supper. 



I was now at Badajoz in Spain, a coun- 
try which for the next four years was 
destined to be the scene of my labours : 
but I will not anticipate. The neigh- 
bourhood of Badajoz did not prepossess 
me much in favour of the country 
which I had just entered; it consists 
chiefly of brown moors, which bear 
little but a species of brushwood, called 
in Spanish carrasco ; blue mountains 
are, however, seen towering up in the 
far distance, which relieve the scene 
from the monotony which would other- 
wise pervade it. 

It was at this town of Badajoz, the 
capital of Estremadura, that I first fall 
in with those singular people, the Zin- 
cali, Gitanos, or Spanish gypsies. It 
was here I met with the wild Paco, the 
man with the withered arm, who 
wielded the cachas (shears) with his 
left hand; his shrewd wife, Antonia, 
skilled in hokkano baro, or the great 
trick ; the fierce gypsy, Antonio Lopez, 
their father-in-law; and many other 
almost equally singular individuals of 
the Errate, or gypsy blood. It was 
here that I first preached the gospel to 
the gypsy people, and commenced that 
translation of the New Testament in 
the Spanish gypsy tongue, a portion of 
which I subsequently printed at Madrid. 

After a stay of three weeks at Bada- 
joz, I prepared to depart for Madrid : 
late one afternoon, as I was arranging 
my scanty baggage, the gypsy Antonio 
entered my apartment, dressed in his 
zamarra and high-peaked Andalusian 
hat. 

Antonio. — Good evening, brother ; 
they tell me that on the callicaste (day 
after to-morroiv) you intend to set out 
far Madrilati. 



Mi/self. — Such is my intention ; I can 
stay here no longer. 

Antonio. — The way is far to Madri- 
lati : there are, moreover, wars in the 
land, and many chories (thieves) walk 
about ; are you not afraid to journey ? 

Myself. — I have no fears ; every man 
must accomplish his destiny : what be- 
falls my body or soul was written in a 
gabicote (book) a thousand years before 
the foundation of the world. 

Antonio. — I have no fears myself, 
brother ; the dark night is the same to 
me as the fair day, and the wild carras- 
cal as the market-place or the chardy 
(fair) ; I have got the bar lachi in my 
bosom, the precious stone to which 
sticks the needle. 

Myself. — You mean the loadstone, I 
suppose. Do you believe that a lifeless 
stone can preserve you from the dan- 
gers which occasionally threaten your 
life? 

Antonio. — Brother, I am fifty years 
old, and you see me standing before 
you in life and strength; how could 
that be unless the bar lachi had power ? 
I have been soldier and contrabandista, 
and I have likewise slain and robbed 
the Busne'. The bullets of the Gabine 
(French) and of the jara canallis (re- 
venue officers) have hissed about my 
ears without injuring me, for I carried 
the bar lachi. I have twenty times 
done that which by Busnee law should 
have brought me to the filimicha ( gal- 
lows), yet my neck has never yet been 
squeezed by the cold garrote. Brother, 
I trust in the bar lachi, like the Galore 
of old : were I in the midst of the gulph 
of Bombardo (Lyons), without a plank 
to float upon, I should feel no fear ; for 
if I carried the precious stone, it would 



46 



bring me safe to shore : the bar lachi 
has power, brother. 

Myself. — I shall not dispute the mat- 
ter with you, more especially as I am 
about to depart from Badajoz : I must 
speedily bid you farewell, and we shall 
see each other no more. 

Antonio. — Brother, do you know 
what brings me hither ? 

Myself. — I cannot tell, unless it be to 
wish me a happy journey : I am not 
gypsy enough to interpret the thoughts 
of other people. 

Antonio. — All last night I lay awake, 
thinking of the affairs of Egypt ; and 
when I arose in the morning I took the 
bar lachi from my bosom, and scraping 
it with a knife, swallowed some of the 
dust in aguardiente, as I am in the ha- 
bit of doing when I have made up my 
mind; and I said to myself, I am 
wanted on the frontiers of Castumba 
(Castile) on a certain matter. The 
strange Caloro is about to proceed to 
Madrilati ; the journey is long, and he 
may fall into evil hands, peradventure 
into those of his own blood ; for let me 
tell you, brother, the Cales are leaving 
their towns and villages, and forming 
themselves into troops to plunder the 
Busne, for there is now but little law 
in the land, and now or never is the 
time for the Calore to become once 
more what they were in former times ; 
so I said, the strange Caloro may fall 
into the hands of his own blood and be 
ill-treated by them, which were shame : 
I will therefore go with him through 
the Chim del Manro (Estremadura) as 
far as the frontiers of Castumba, and 
upon the frontiers of Castumba I will 
leave the London Caloro to find his 
own way to Madrilati, for there is less 
danger in Castumba than in the Chim 
del Manro, and I will then betake me 
to the affairs of Egypt which call me 
from hence. 

Mi/self — This is a very hopeful plan 
of yours, my friend ; and in what man- 
ner do you propose that we shall travel ? 

Antonio. — I will tell you, brother. I 
have a gras in the stall, even the one 
which I purchased at Olivencas, as I 
told you on a former occasion; it is 
good and fleet, and cost me, who am a 
£ypsy, fifty chule (dollars) ; upon that 



[chap. IX. 



gras you shall ride. As for myself, T 
will journey upon the macho 

Myself. — Before I answer you, I 
shall wish you to inform me what busi- 
ness it is which renders your presence 
necessary in Castumba ; your son-in- 
law, Paco, told me that it was no longer 
the custom of the gypsies to wander. 

Antonio. — It is an affair of Egypt, 
brother, and I shall not acquaint you 
with it; peradventure it relates to a 
horse or an ass, or peradventure it re- 
lates to a mule or a macho ; it does not 
relate to yourself, therefore I advise 
you not to inquire about it — Dosta 
(enough). With respect to my offer, 
you are free to decline it ; there is a 
drungruje (royal road) between here 
and Madrilati, and you can travel it in 
the birdoche (stage-coach), or with the 
dromale (muleteers) ; but I tell you, as 
a brother, that there are chories upon 
the drun, and some of them are of the 
Errate. 

Certainly few people in my situation 
would have accepted the offer of this 
singular gypsy. It was not, however, 
without its allurements for me ; I was 
fond of adventure, and what more ready 
means of gratifying my love of it than 
by putting myself under the hands of 
such a guide? There are many who 
would have been afraid of treachery, 
but I had no fears on this point, as I 
did not believe that the fellow har- 
boured the slightest ill intention to- 
wards me ; I saw that he was fully 
convinced that I was one of the Errate, 
and his affection for his own race, and 
his hatred for the Busne, were his 
strongest characteristics. I wished, 
moreover, to lay hold of every oppor- 
tunity of making myself acquainted 
with the ways of the Spanish gypsies, 
and an excellent one here presented 
itself on my first entrance into Spain. 
In a word, I determined to accompany 
the gypsy. " I will go with you/' I 
exclaimed. "As for my baggage, I 
will despatch it to Madrid by the bir- 
doche/' " Do so, brother," he replied, 
" and the gras will go lighter. Bag- 
gage, indeed ! — what need of baggage 
have you ? How the Busne on the 
road would laugh if they saw two Cale's 
with baggage behind them 1" 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



CHAP. IX.] 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



4? 



During my stay at Badajoz I had 
but little intercourse with the Spaniards, 
my time being chiefly devoted to the 
gypsies, with whom, from long inter- 
course with various sections of their 
race in different parts of the world, I 
felt myself much more at home than 
with the silent, reserved men of Spain, 
with whom a foreigner might mingle 
for half a century without having half 
a dozen words addressed to him, unless 
he himself made the first advances to 
intimacy, which, after all, might be 
rejected with a shrug and a no intejido ; 
for among the many deeply-rooted pre- 
judices of these people is the strange 
idea that no foreigner can speak their 
language, an idea to which they will 
still cling though they hear him con- 
versing with perfect ease; for in that 
case the utmost that they will concede 
to his attainments is, Habla quatro pa- 
labras y nada mas (he can speak four 
words, and no more). 

Early one morning, before sunrise, I 
found myself at the house of Antonio 
it was a small mean building, situated 
in a dirty street. The morning was 
quite dark ; the street, however, was 
partially illumined by a heap of lighted 
straw, round which two or three men 
were busily engaged, apparently hold- 
ing an object over the flames. Pre- 
sently the gypsy's door opened, and 
Antonio made his appearance ; and, 
casting his eye in the direction of the 
light, exclaimed, " The swine have 
killed their brother ; would that every 
Busno was served as yonder hog is. 
Come in. brother, and we will eat the 
heart of that hog." I scarcely under- 
stood his words, but following him, he 
led me into a low room, in which was 
a brasero, or small pan full of lighted 
charcoal ; beside it was a rude table, 
spread with a coarse linen cloth, upon 
which was bread and a large pipkin 
full of a mess which emitted no dis- 
agreeable savour. " The heart of the 
balichow is in that puchera," said An- 
tonio ; " eat, brother." We both sat 
down and ate — Antonio voraciously. 
When we had concluded he arose : — 
M Have you got your li ?" he demanded. 
" Here it is, " said I, showing him my 
passport. u Good," said he ; " you may 



want it. I want none ; my passport is 
the bar lachi. Now for a glass of re- 
pan i, and then for the road." 

We left the room, the door of which 
he locked, hiding the key beneath a 
loose brick in a corner of the passage. 
" Go into the street, brother, whilst I 
fetch the caballerias from the stable." 
1 obeyed him. The sun had not yet 
risen, and the air was piercingly cold ; 
the grey light, however, of dawn en- 
abled me to distinguish objects with 
tolerable accuracy ; I soon heard the 
clattering of the animals' feet, and An- 
tonio presently stepped forth, leading 
the horse by the bridle ; the macho 
followed behind. I looked at the horse, 
and shrugged my shoulders. As far as 
I could scan it, it appeared the most 
uncouth, animal I had ever beheld. It 
was of a spectral white, short in the 
body, but with remarkably long legs. 
I observed that it was particularly high 
in the cruz, or withers. " You are 
looking at the grasti," said Antonio; 
" it is eighteen years old, but it is the 
very best in the Chim del Manro; I 
have long had my eye upon it ; I bought 
it for my own use for the affairs of 
Egypt. Mount, brother, mount, and 
let us leave the foros — the gate is about 
being opened." 

He locked the door, and deposited 
the key in his faja. In less than a 
quarter of an hour we had left the town 
behind us. " This does not appear to 
be a very good horse," said I to Antonio, 
as we proceeded over the plain ; " it is 
with difficulty that I can make him 
move." 

" He is the swiftest horse in the Chim 
del Manro, brother," said A ntonio ; " at 
the gallop, and at the speedy trot, there 
is no one to match him ; but he is eigh- 
teen years old, and his joints are stiff, 
especially of a morning; but let him 
once become heated, and the genio del 
viejo (spirit of the old man) comes upon 
him, and there is no holding him in 
with bit or bridle. I bought that horse 
for the affairs of Egypt, brother." 

About noon we arrived at a small 
village in the neighbourhood of a high 
lumpy hill. " There is no Calo house 
in this place," said Antonio ; " we will 
therefore go to the posada of the Busne, 



48 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



ICHAT. IX. 



and refresh ourselves, man and beast/' 
We entered the kitchen, and sat down 
at the board, calling for wine and bread. 
There were two ill-looking fellows in 
the kitchen, smoking cigars. I said 
something to Antonio in the Calo lan- 
guage. 

" What is that I hear ?" said one of 
the fellows, who was distinguished by 
an immense pair of mustaches. " What 
is that I hear ? Is it in Calo that you 
are speaking before me, and I a Chalan 
and national ? Accursed gypsy, how 
dare you enter this posada and speak 
before me in that speech? Is it not 
forbidden by the law of the land in 
which we are, even as it is forbidden 
for a gypsy to enter the mercado ? I 
tell you what, friend, if I hear another 
word of Calo come from your mouth, 
I will cudgel your bones and send you 
flying over the house-tops with a kick 
of my foot." 

" You would do right," said his com- 
panion ; " the insolence of these gypsies 
is no longer to be borne. When I am 
at Merida or Badajoz I go to the mer- 
cado, and there in a corner stand the 
accursed gypsies, jabbering to each 
other in a speech which I understand 
not. 4 Gypsy gentleman/ say I to one 
of them, 4 what will you have for that 
donkey ?' ' I will have ten dollars for 
it, Caballero nacional,' says the gypsy : 
4 it is the best donkey in all Spain/ ' I 
should like to see its paces,' say I. 
4 That you shall, most valorous !' says 
the gypsy, and jumping upon its back, 
he puts it to its paces, first of all whis- 
pering something into its ear in Calo, 
and truly the paces of the donkey are 
most wonderful, such as I have never 
seen before. ' I think it will just suit 
me and, after looking at it awhile, I 
take out the money and pay for it. ' I 
shall go to my house,' says the gypsy ; 
and off he runs. 4 1 shall go to my 
village/ say I, and I mount the donkey. 
* Vamonos/ say I, but the donkey won't 
move. I give him a switch, but I don't 
get on the better for that. ' How is 
this ?' say I, and I fall to spurring him. 
What happens then, brother ? The 
wizard no sooner feels the prick than 
he bucks down, and flings me over his 
head into the mire. I get up and look 



about me ; there stands the donkey 
staring at me, and there stand the 
whole gypsy canaille squinting at me 
with their lilmy eyes. 4 Where is the 
scamp who has sold me this piece of 
furniture ?' I shout. 4 He is gone to 
Granada, valorous,' says one. 4 He is 
gone to see his kindred among the 
Moors,' says another. 4 1 just saw him 
running over the field, in the direction 

of , with the devil close behind 

him,' says a third. In a word I am 
tricked. I wish to dispose of the don- 
key ; no one, however, will buy him ; 
he is a Calo donkey, and every person 
avoids him. At last the gypsies offer 
thirty rials for him : and after much 
chaffering I am glad to get rid of him 
at two dollars. It is all a trick, how- 
ever ; he returns to his master, and the 
brotherhood share the spoil amongst 
them, all which villany would be pre- 
vented, in my opinion, were the Calo 
language not spoken ; for what but the 
word of Calo could have induced the 
donkey to behave in such an unaccount- 
able manner ?" 

Both seemed perfectly satisfied with 
the justness of this conclusion, and con- 
tinued smoking till their cigars were 
burnt to stumps, when they arose, 
twitched their whiskers, looked at us 
with fierce disdain, and dashing the 
tobacco-ends to the ground, strode out 
of the apartment. 

44 Those people seem no friends to 
the gypsies," said I to Antonio, when 
the two bullies had departed, 44 nor to 
the Calo language either." 

44 May evil glanders seize their nos- 
trils," said Antonio ; 44 they have been 
jonjabadoed by our people. However, 
brother, you did wrong to speak to me 
in Calo, in a posada like this ; it is a 
forbidden language ; for, as I have often 
told you, the king has destroyed the law 
of the Cales. Let us away, brother, or 
those juntunes {sneaking scoundrels) 
may set the justicia upon us." 

Towards evening we drew near to a 
large town or village. 44 That is Me- 
rida," said Antonio, 44 formerly, as the 
Busne say, a mighty city of the Cora- 
hai. We shall stay here to-night, and 
perhaps for a day or two, for I have 
•ome business of Egypt to transact in 



CHAP. IX.] 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



this place. Now, brother, step aside 
with the horse, and wait for me be- 
neath yonder wall. I must go before 
and see in what condition matters 
stand." 

I dismounted from the horse, and sat 
down on a stone beneath the ruined 
wall to which Antonio had motioned 
me ; the sun went down, and the air 
was exceedingly keen ; I drew close 
around me an old tattered gypsy cloak 
with which my companion had pro- 
Tided me, and, being somewhat fa- 
tigued, fell into a doze which lasted for 
nearly an hour. 

" Is your worship the London Ca- 
loro?" said a strange voice close beside 
me. 

I started and beheld the face of a 
woman peering under my hat. Not- 
withstanding the dusk, I could see that 
the features were hideously ugly and 
almost black ; they belonged, in fact, 
to a gypsy crone, at least seventy years 
of age, leaning upon a staff. 

" Is your worship the London Ca- 
loro ?" repeated she. 

" I am he whom you seek," said I ; 
" where is Antonio?" 

" Curelando, curelando, baribastres 
curelos terela,"* said the crone : " come 
with me, Caloro of my garlochin, come 
with me to my little ker, he will be 
there anon." 

I followed the crone, who led the 
way into the town, which was ruinous 
and seemingly half deserted ; we went 
up the street, from which she turned 
Into a narrow and dark lane, and pre- 
sently opened the gate of a large dila- 
pidated house. " Come in," said she. 

" And the gras ?" I demanded. 

" Bring the gras in too, my chabo, 
bring the gras in too ; there is room 
for the gras in my little stable." We 
entered a large court, across which we 
proceeded till we came to a wide door- 
way. " Go in, my child of Egypt," 
said the hag ; " go in, that is my little 
stable." 

<k The place is as dark as pitch," said 
I, " and may be a well for what I 
know ; bring a light, or I will not 
enter." 

* Doing business, doing business— he has 
much business to do. 



" Give me the solabarri (bridle)/* 
said the hag, " and I will lead your 
horse in, my chabo of Egypt, yes, and 
tether him to my little manger." She 
led the horse through the doorway, and 
I heard her busy in the darkness ; pre- 
sently the horse shook himself : " Grasti 
terelamos," said the hag, who now made 
her appearance with the bridle in her 
hand ; " the horse has shaken himself, 
he is not harmed by his day's journey ; 
now let us go in, my Caloro, into my 
little room." 

We entered the house, and found 
ourselves in a vast room, which would 
have been quite dark but for a faint 
glow which appeared at the farther 
end : it proceeded from a brasero, be- 
side which were squatted two dusky 
figures. 

" These are Callees," said the hag ; 
" one is my daughter, and the other is 
her chabi ; sit down, my London Ca- 
loro, and let us hear you speak." 

I looked about for a chair, but could 
see none ; at a short distance, however, 
I perceived the end of a broken pillar 
lying on the floor ; this I rolled to the 
brasero, and sat down upon it. 

" This is a fine house, mother of the 
gypsies," said I to the hag, willing to 
gratify the desire she had expressed of 
hearing me speak ; " a fine house is this 
of yours, rather cold and damp, though ; 
it appears large enough to be a barrack 
for hundunares." 

" Plenty of houses in this foros, plenty 
of houses in Merida, my London Ca- 
loro, some of them just as they were 
left by the Corahanoes ; ah ! a fine 
people are the Corahanoes ; I often wish 
myself in their chim once more." 

" How is this, mother," said I, " have 
you been in the land of the Moors ?" 

" Twice have I been in their country, 
my Caloro — twice have I been in the 
land of the Corahai ; the first time is 
more than fifty years ago ; I was then 
with the Sese (Spaniards), for my hus- 
band was a soldier of the Crallis of 
Spain, and Oran at that time belonged 
to Spain." 

" You were not then with the real 
Moors," said I, " but only with the 
Spaniards who occupied part of their 
country." 

E 



50 THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



" I have been with the real Moors, 
my London Caloro. Who knows more 
of the real Moors than myself? About 
forty years ago I was with my ro in 
Ceuta, for he was still a soldier of the 
king, and he said to me one day, ' I am 
tired of this place, where there is no 
bread and less water ; I will escape and 
turn Corahano ; this night I will kill 
my sergeant, and flee to the camp of the 
Moor.' 4 Do so/ said I, 4 my chabo, 
and as soon as may be I will follow 
you and become a Corahani.' That 
same night he killed his sergeant, who 
five years before had called him Calo 
and cursed him, then running to the 
wall he dropped from it, and, amidst 
many shots, he escaped to the land of 
the Corahai : as for myself, I remained 
in the presidio of Ceuta as a suttler, 
selling wine and repani to the soldiers. 
Two years passed by, and I neither saw 
nor heard from my ro ; one day there 
came a strange man to my cachimani 
{wine-shop), he was dressed like a Co- 
rahano, and yet he did not look like 
one, he looked more like a callardo 
(black), and yet he was not a callardo 
either, though he was almost black ; 
and as I looked upon him, I thought he 
looked something like the Errate ; and 
he said to me, 4 Zincali ; chachipe ! ' 
and then he whispered to me in queer 
language, which I could scarcely un- 
derstand, 4 Your ro is waiting, come 
with me, my little sister, and I will take 
you unto him.' 4 Where is he ? ' said 
I, and he pointed to the west, to the 
land of the Corahai, and said, 4 He is 
yonder away ; come with me, little sis- 
ter, the ro is waiting.' For a moment 
I was afraid, but I bethought me of my 
husband, and I wished to be amongst 
the Corahai ; so I took the little parne 
[ money) I had, and, locking up the ca- 
chimani, went with the strange man ; 
the sentinel challenged us at the gate, 
but I gave him repani (brandy), and he 
let us pass ; in a moment we were in 
the land of the Corahai. About a league 
from the town, beneath a hill, we found 
four people, men and women, all very 
black like the strange man, and we 
joined ourselves with them, and they all 
saluted me and called me little sister; 
That was all 1 understood of their dis- 



| CHAl\ IX. 

course, which was very crabbed ; and 
they took away my dress, and gave me 
other clothes, and I looked like a Cora- 
hani, and away we marched for many 
days amidst deserts and small villages, 
and more than once it seemed to me 
that I was amongst the Errate, for their 
ways were the same: the men would 
hokkawar [cheat) with mules and asses, 
and the women told baji, and after 
many days we came before a large 
town, and the black man said, 4 Go in 
there, little sister, and there you will 
find your ro ;' and I went to the gate, 
and an armed Corahano stood within 
the gate, and I looked in his face, and 
lo ! it was my ro. 

" 0 what a strange town it was that 
I found myself in, full of people who 
had once been Candore' {Christians), 
but had renegaded and become Corahai ! 
There were Sese and Lalore {Portu- 
guese), and men of other nations, and 
amongst them were some of the Errate 
from my own country; all were now 
soldiers of the Crallis of the Corahai, 
and followed him to his wars ; and in 
that town I remained with my ro a 
long time, occasionally going out with 
him to the wars, and I often asked him 
about the black men who had brought 
me thither, and he told me that he had 
had dealings with them, and that he 
believed them to be of the Errate. 
Well, brother, to be short, my ro was 
killed in the wars, before a town to 
which the king of the Corahai laid 
siege, and I became a piuli {widow), 
and I returned to the village of the re- 
negades, as it was called, and supported 
myself as well as I could ; and one day, 
as I was sitting weeping, the black 
man, whom I had never seen since the 
day he brought me to my ro, again 
stood before me, and he said, 4 Come 
with, me, little sister, come with me, the 
ro is at hand and I went with him, 
and beyond the gate in the desert was 
the same party of black men and women 
which I had seen before. 4 Where is 
my ro ?' said I. 4 Here he is, little sis- 
ter,' said the black man, 4 here he is ; 
from this day I am the ro and you the 
romi ; come, let us go, for there is busi- 
ness to be done.' 

44 And I went with him, and he was 



CHAP. IX.J 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN". 



51 



my ro, and we lived amongst the deserts, 
and hokkawar'd and choried and told 
baji ; and I said to myself, this is good, 
sure I am amongst the Errate in a 
better chim than my own ; and I often 
said that they were of the Errate, and 
then they would laugh and say that it 
might be so, and that they were not 
Corahai, but they could give no account 
of themselves. 

64 Well, things went on in this way for 
years, and I had three chai by the 
black man ; two of them died, but the 
youngest, who is the Calli who sits by 
the brasero, was spared ; so we roamed 
about and choried and told baji ; and it 
came to pass that once in the winter 
time our company attempted to pass a 
wide and deep river, of which there 
are many in the Chim del Corahai, and 
the boat overset with the rapidity of 
the current, and all our people were 
drowned, all but myself and my chabi, 
whom I bore in my bosom. I had now 
no friends amongst the Corahai, and I 
wandered about the despoblados howl- 
ing and lamenting till I became half 
lili (mad), and in this manner I found 
my way to the coast, where I made 
friends with the captain of a ship, and 
returned to this land of Spain. And 
now I am here, I often wish myself 
back again amongst the Corahai." 

Here she commenced laughing loud 
and long, and when she had ceased, her 
daughter and grandchild took up the 
laugh, which they continued so long 
that 1 concluded they were all luna- 
tics. 

Hour succeeded hour, and still we 
sat crouching over the brasero, from 
which, by this time, all warmth had 
departed ; the glow had long since dis- 
appeared, and only a few dying sparks 
were to be distinguished. The room 
or hall was now involved in utter dark- 
ness ; the women were motionless and 
still ; I shivered and began to feel un- 
easy. " Will Antonio be here to- 
night ? " at length I demanded; 

" No tenga listed cuidao, my London 



Caloro," said the Gypsy mother, in an 
unearthly tone ; " Pepindorio * has 
been here some time." 

I was about to rise from my seat and 
attempt to escape from the house, when 
I felt a hand laid upon my shoulder, 
and in a moment I heard the voice of 
Antonio. 

" Be not afraid, 'tis I, brother ; Ave 
will have a light anon, and then sup- 
per." 

The supper was rude enougli, con- 
sisting of bread, cheese, and olives. 
Antonio, however, produced a leathern 
bottle of excellent wine ; we despatched 
these viands by the light of an earthen 
lamp which was placed upon the floor. 

" Now," said Antonio to the youngest 
female, " bring me the pajandi, and I 
will sing a gachapla." 

The girl brought the guitar, which, 
with some difficulty, the Gypsy tuned, 
and then strumming it vigorously, he 
sang : — 

" I stole a plump and bonny fowl, 
But ere I well had din'd, 
The master came with scowl and growl, 
And me would captive bind. 

" My hat and mantle off I threw 
And scour'd across the lea, 
Then cried the bengf with loud halloo, 
Where does the Gypsy flee ?" 

He continued playing and singing for 
a considerable time, the two younger 
females dancing in the meanwhile with 
unwearied diligence, whilst the aged 
mother occasionally snapped her fingers 
or beat time on the ground with her 
stick. At last Antonio suddenly laid 
down the instrument, exclaiming : — 

" I see the London Caloro is weary ; 
enough, enough, to-morrow more there- 
of — we will now to the charipe (bed)." 

" With all my heart," said I ; " where 
are we to sleep ? " 

" In the stable," said he, " in the 
manger ; however cold the stable may 
be, we shall be warm enough in the 
bufa." 



* The Gvpsv word for Antonio, 
f Devil. 



t: 2 



{ 52 l 



CHAPTER X. 

The Gypsy's Granddaughter — Proposed Marriage — The Alguazil — The Assault — Speedy Trot 
— Arrival at Trujillo — Night and Rain — The Forest— The Bivouac — Mount and Away! — 
Jaraicejo — The National — The Cavalier Balmerson — Among the Thickets — Serious Dis- 
course — What is Truth ? — Unexpected Intelligence. 



We remained three days at the Gypsies' 
house, Antonio departing early every 
morning, on his mule, and returning 
late at night. The house was large 
and ruinous, the only habitable part of 
it, with the exception of the stable, 
being the hall, where we had supped, 
and there the G-ypsy females slept at 
night, on some mats and mattresses in 
a corner. 

" A strange house is this," said I to 
Antonio, one morning as he was on the 
point of saddling his mule and depart- 
ing, as I supposed, on the affairs of 
Egypt ; "a strange house and strange 
people ; that Gypsy grandmother has 
all the appearance of a sowanee (sor- 
ceress)." 

" All the appearance of one !" said 
Antonio ; " and is she not really one ? 
She knows more crabbed things and 
crabbed words than all the Errate be- 
twixt here and Catalonia. She has 
been amongst the wild Moors, and can 
make more drows, poisons, and philtres 
than any one alive. She once made a 
kind of paste, and persuaded me to 
taste, and shortly after I had done so 
my soul departed from my body, and 
wandered through horrid forests and 
mountains, amidst monsters and duen- 
des, during one entire night. She 
learned many things amidst the Cora- 
hai which I should be glad to know." 

" Have you been long acquainted 
with her ?" said I ; " you appear to 
be quite at home in this house." 

u Acquainted with her ! " said An- 
tonio. " Did not my own brother marry 
the black Calli, her daughter, who bore 
him the chabi, sixteen years ago, just 
before he was hanged by the Busne ? " 

In the afternoon I was seated with 



the Gypsy mother in the hall, the two 
Callees were absent telling fortunes 
about the town and neighbourhood, 
which was their principal occupation. 
" Are you married, my London Ca- 
loro ? " said the old woman to me. 
" Are you a ro ? " 

Myself. — Wherefore do you ask, O 
Dai de los Cales ? 

Gypsy Mother. — It is high time that 
the lacha of the chabi were taken from 
her, and that she had a ro. You can 
do no better than take her for romi, my 
London Caloro. 

Myself. — I am a stranger in this 
land, 0 mother of the Gypsies, and 
scarcely know how to provide for my- 
self, much less for a romi. 

Gypsy Mother. — She wants no one 
to provide for her, my London Caloro, 
she can at any time provide for herself 
and her ro. She can hokkawar, tell 
baji, and there are few to equal her 
at stealing a pastesas. Were she once 
at Madrilati, where they tell me you 
are going, she would make much trea- 
sure : therefore take her thither, for in 
this foros she is nahi (lost), as it were, 
for there is nothing to be gained ; but 
in the foros baro it would be another 
matter ; she would go dressed in lachipi 
and sonacai (silk and gold), whilst you 
would ride about on your black-tailed 
gra ; and when you had got much trea- 
sure, you might return hither and live 
like a Crallfs, and all the Errate of 
the Chirn del Manro should bow down 
their heads to you. What say you, 
my London Caloro, what say you to 
my plan ? 

- Myself. — Your plan is a plausible 
one, mother, or at least some people 
would think so ; but I am, as you are 



CHAP. X.] 



THE BIBLE 



IN SPAIN. 



55 



aware, of another chim, and have no 
inclination to pass my life in this coun- 
try. 

Gypsy Mother. — Then return to your 
own country, my Caloro, the chabi can 
crops the pani. Would she not do 
business in London with the rest of the 
Galore ? Or why not go to the land of 
the Corahai ? In which case I would 
accompany you; I and my daughter, 
the mother of the chabi. 

JSlyself. — And what should we do in 
the land of the Corahai ? It is a poor 
and wild country, I believe. 

Gypsy Mother. — The London Caloro 
asks me what we could do in the land 
of the Corahai ! Aromali ! I almost 
think that I am speaking to a lilipendi 
(simpleton). Are there not horses to 
chore? Yes, I trow there are, and 
better ones than in this land, and asses 
and mules. In the 1'and of the Corahai 
you must hokkawar and chore even as 
you must here, or in your own country, 
or else you are no Caloro. Can you 
not join yourselves with the black peo- 
ple who five in the despoblados ? Yes, 
surely ; and glad they would be to have 
among them the Errate from Spain and 
London. I am seventy years of age, 
but I wish not to die in this chim, but 
yonder, far away, where both my roms 
are sleeping. Take the chabi, there- 
fore, and go to Madrilati to win the 
parne, and when you have got it, return, 
and we will give a banquet to all the 
Busne in Merida, and in their food I 
will mix drow, and they shall eat and 
burst like poisoned sheep .... 
And when they have eaten we will 
leave them, and away to the land of the 
Moor, my London Caloro. 

During the whole time that I re- 
mained at Merida I stirred not once 
from the house; following the advice 
of Antonio, who informed me that it 
would not be convenient. My time lay 
rather heavily on my hands, my only 
source of amusement consisting in the 
conversation of the women, and in that 
of Antonio when he made his appear- 
ance at night. In these tertulias the 
grandmother was the principal spokes- 
woman, and astonished my ears with 
wonderful tales of the land of the 
Moors, prison escapes, thievish feats, 



and one or two poisoning adventures, 
in which she had been engaged, as she 
informed me, in her early youth. 

There was occasionally something 
very wild in her gestures and demea- 
nour ; more than once I observed her, 
in the midst of much declamation, to 
stop short, stare in vacancy, and thrust 
out her palms as if endeavouring to 
push away some invisible substance ; 
she goggled frightfully with her eyes, 
and once sank back in convulsions, of 
which her children took no farther no- 
tice than observing that she was only 
lili, and would soon come to herself. 

Late in the afternoon of the third 
day, as the three women and myself sat 
conversing as usual over the brasero, a 
shabby-looking fellow in an old rusty 
cloak walked into the room : he came 
straight up to the place where we were 
sitting, produced a paper cigar, which 
he lighted at a coal, and taking a whirl 
or two, looked at me : " Carracho," 
said he, "who is this companion?" 

I saw at once that the fellow was no 
Gypsy : the women said nothing, but I 
could hear the grandmother growling 
to herself, something after the manner 
of an old grimalkin when disturbed. 

"Carracho," reiterated the fellow, 
" how came this companion here ?" 

" No le penela chi win chaboro." said 
the black Callee to me, in an under 
tone ; " sin un balicho de los chineles :" * 
then looking up to the interrogator she 
said aloud, "he is one of our people 
from Portugal, come on the smuggling 
lay, and to see his poor sisters here." 

" Then let him give me some to- 
bacco," said the fellow, " I suppose he 
has brought some with him." 

" He has no tobacco," said the black 
Callee, "he has nothing but old iron. 
This cigar is the only tobacco there is 
in the house ; take it, smoke it, and go 
away V 

Thereupon she produced a cigar from 
out her shoe, which she presented to 
the alguazil. 

" This will not do," said the fellow, 
taking the cigar, " I must have some- 
thing better; it is now three months 



* <{ Say nothing to him, my lad, he is a hog 
of an alguazil." 



54 



THE BIBLE IN SPALN. 



j_CHAP. X. 



since I received any thing from you ; 
the last present was a handkerchief, 
which was good for nothing ; therefore 
hand me over something worth taking, 
or I will carry you all to the Car cel." 

" The Busno will take us to prison," 
said the black Callee, " ha ! ha ! ha !" 

" The Chinel will take us to prison/' 
giggled the young girl, "he! he! 
he I" 

" The Bengui will carry us all to 
the estaripel," grunted the Gypsy grand- 
mother, " ho ! ho ! ho !" 

The three females arose and walked 
slowly round the fellow, fixing their 
eyes steadfastly on his face; he ap- 
peared frightened, and evidently wished 
to get away. Suddenly the two youngest 
seized his hands, and whilst he strug- 
gled to release himself, the old woman 
exclaimed : ' You want tobacco, hijo — 
you come to the Gypsy house to frighten 
the Callees and the strange Caloro out [ 
of their plako — truly, hijo, we have 
none for you, and right sorry I am; 
we have, however, plenty of the dust 
d su servicio" 

Here, thrusting her hand into her 
pocket, she discharged a handful of 
some kind of dust or snuff into the fel- 
low's eyes ; he stamped and roared, but 
was for some time held fast by the two 
Callees ; he extricated himself, how- 
ever, and attempted to unsheath a knife 
which he bore at his girdle ; but the 
two younger females flung themselves 
upon him like furies, while the old 
woman increased his disorder by thrust- 
ing her stick into his face ; he was soon 
glad to give up the contest, and re- 
treated, leaving behind him his hat and 
cloak, which the chabi gathered up and 
flung after him into the street. 

" This is a bad business," said I, 
"the fellow will of course bring the 
rest of the justicia upon us, and we shall 
all be cast into the estaripel." 

" Ca !" said the black Callee, biting 
her thumb-nail, "he has more reason 
to fear us than we him, we could bring 
him to the filimicha ; we have, more- 
over, friends in this town, plenty, 
plenty." 

" Yes," mumbled the grandmother, 
4< the daughters of the baji have friends, 
rny London Caloro. friends among the 



Busnees, baributre, baribu (plenty, 

plenty)'* 

Nothing farther of any account oc- 
curred in the Gypsy house ; the next 
day, Antonio and myself were again in 
the saddle ; we travelled at least thirteen 
leagues before we reached the Venta, 
where we passed the night; we rose 
early in the morning, my guide inform- 
ing me that we had a long day's journey 
to make. " Where are we bound to ?" 
I demanded. "To Trujillo," he re- 
plied. 

When the sun arose, which it did 
gloomily and amidst threatening rain- 
clouds, we found ourselves in the neigh- 
bourhood of a range of mountains wmich 
lay on our left, and which, Antonio in- 
formed me, were called the Sierra of 
San Selvan; our route, however, lay 
over wide plains, scantily clothed with 
brushwood, with here and there a me- 
I lancholy village, with its old and dilapi- 
dated church. Throughout the greater 
part of the day, a drizzling rain was 
falling, which turned the dust of the 
roads into mud and mire, considerably 
impeding our progress. Towards even- 
ing we reached a moor, a wild place 
enough, strewn with enormous stones 
and rocks. Before us, at some distance, 
rose a strange conical hill, rough and 
shaggy, which appeared to be neither 
more nor less than an immense assem- 
blage of the same kind of rocks which 
lay upon the moor. The rain had now 
ceased, but a strong wind rose and 
howled at our backs. Throughout tht* 
journey, I had experienced consider- 
able difficulty in keeping up with the 
mule of Antonio ; the walk of the horse 
was slow, and I could discover no 
vestige of the spirit which the Gypsy 
had assured me lurked within him. 
We were now upon a tolerably clear 
spot of the moor : "I am about to see," 
I said, " whether this horse has any of 
the quality which you have described." 
" Do so," said Antonio, and spurred his 
beast onward, speedily leaving me far 
behind. I jerked the horse with the 
bit, endeavouring to arouse his dormant 
spirit, whereupon he stopped, reared, 
and refused to proceed. " Hold the 
bridle loose, and touch him with your 
whip," shouted Antonio from before. I 



CHAP. X.J 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



55 



obeyed, and forthwith the animal set 
off at a trot, which gradually increased 
in swiftness till it became a downright 
furious speedy trot ; his limbs were now 
thoroughly lithy, and he brandished 
his fore-legs in a manner perfectly won- 
drous ; the mule of Antonio, which was 
a spirited animal of excellent paces, 
would fain have competed with him, 
but was passed in a twinkling. This 
tremendous trot endured for about a 
mile, when the animal, becoming yet 
more heated, broke suddenly into a 
gallop. Hurrah ! no hare ever ran so 
wildly or blindly; it was, literally, 
ventre a terre ; and I had considerable 
difficulty in keeping him clear of rocks, 
against which he would have rushed in 
his savage fury, and dashed himself 
and rider to atoms. 

This race brought me to the foot of 
the hill, where I waited till the Gypsy 
rejoined me: we left the hiii, which 
seemed quite inaccessible, on our right, 
passing through a small and wretched 
village. The sun went down, and dark 
night presently came upon us ; we pro- 
ceeded on, however, for nearly three 
hours, until we heard the barking of 
dogs, and perceived a light or two in 
the distance. " That is Trujillo," said 
Antonio, who had not spoken for along 
time. " I am glad of it," I replied ; 
" I am thoroughly tired ; I shall sleep 
soundly in Trujillo." " That is as it 
may be," said the Gypsy, and spurred 
his mule to a brisker pace. We soon 
entered the town, which appeared dark 
and gloomy enough; I followed close 
behind the Gypsy, who led the way I 
knew not whither, through dismal 
streets and dark places, where cats were 
squalling. "Here is the house," said 
he at last, dismounting before a low 
mean hut ; he knocked, no answer was 
returned ; — he knocked again, but still 
there was no reply ; he shook the door 
and essayed to open it, but it appeared 
firmly locked and bolted. " Caramba !" 
said he, "they are out — I feared it 
might be so. Now what are we to 
do?" 

" There can be no difficulty," said I, 
" with respect to what we have to do ; 
if your friends are gone out, it is easy 
enough to go to a posada." 



" You know not what you say," re- 
plied the Gypsy, " I dare not go to the 
mesuna, nor enter any house in Trujillo 
save this, and this is shut ; well, there 
is no remedy, we must move on, and, 
between ourselves, the sooner ^ e leaTe 
this place the better ; my own planoro 
(brother) was garroted at Trujillo." 

He lighted a cigar, by means of a 
steel and yesca, sprang on his mule, 
and proceeded through streets and lanes 
equally dismal as those which we had 
already traversed, till we again found 
ourselves out of the town. 

I confess I did not much like this 
decision of the Gypsy; I felt very 
slight inclination to leave the town be- 
hind, and to venture into unknown 
places in the dark night, amidst rain 
and mist, for the wind had now dropped, 
and the rain began again to fall briskly. 
I was, moreover, much fatigued, and 
wished for nothing better than to deposit 
myself in some comfortable manger, 
where I might sink to sleep, lulled by 
the pleasant sound of horses and mules 
despatching their provender. I had, 
however, put myself under the direc- 
tion of the Gypsy, and I was too old a 
traveller to quarrel with my guide un- 
der the present circumstances. T there- 
fore followed close at his crupper ; our 
only light being the glow emitted from 
the Gypsy's cigar ; at last he flung it 
from his mouth into a puddle, and we 
were then in darkness. 

We proceeded in this manner for a 
long time ; the Gypsy was silent ; I 
myself was equally so; the rain de- 
scended more and more. I sometimes 
thought I heard doleful noises, some- 
thing like the hooting of owls. " This 
is a strange night to be wandering 
abroad in," I at length said to Antonio. 

" It is, brother," said he, " but I 
would sooner be abroad in such a 
night, and in such places, than in the 
estaripel of Trujillo." 

We wandered at least a league far- 
ther, and appeared now to be near a 
wood, for I could occasionally distin- 
guish the trunks of immense trees. 
Suddenly Antonio stopped his mule ; 
" Look, brother," said he, " to the left, 
and tell me if you do not see a lignt : 
your eyes are sharper than mine." I 



56 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



[chap, a. 



did as he commanded me. At first I 
could see nothing, but, moving a little 
farther on, I plainly saw a large light 
at some distance, seemingly amongst 
the trees. " Yonder cannot be a lamp 
or candle," said I ; "it is more like the 
blaze of a fire/' " Very likely," said 
Antonio. " There are no queres 
(houses) in this place ; it is doubtless 
a fire made by durotunes (shepherds) ; 
let us go and join them, for, as you say, 
it is doleful work wandering about at 
night amidst rain and mire." 

We dismounted and entered what I 
now saw was a forest, leading the ani- 
mals cautiously amongst the trees and 
brushwood. In about five minutes we 
reached a small open space, at the far- 
ther side of which, at the foot of a 
large cork-tree, a fire was burning, 
and by it stood or sat two or three 
figures ; they had heard our approach, 
and one of them now exciaimed Quien 
Vive ? "I know that voice," said An- 
tonio, and, leaving the horse with me, 
rapidly advanced towards the fire : pre- 
sently I heard an Ola ! and a laugh, 
and soon the voice of Antonio sum- 
moned me to advance. On reaching 
the fire I found two dark lads, and a 
still darker woman of about forty ; the 
latter seated on what appeared to be 
horse or mule furniture. I likewise 
saw a horse and two donkeys tethered 
to the neighbouring trees. It was, in 

fact, a Gypsy bivouac " Come 

forward, brother, and show yourself," 
said Antonio to me ; " you are amongst 
friends; these are of the Errate, the 
very people whom I expected to find 
at Trujillo, and in whose house we 
should have slept." 

" And what," said I, " could have in- 
duced them to leave their house in Tru- 
jillo and come into this dark forest, in 
the midst of wind and rain, to pass the 
night ?" 

" They come on business of Egypt, 
brother, doubtless," replied Antonio ; 
" and that business is none of ours, 
Calla boca ! It is lucky we have found 
them here, else we should have had no 
supper, and our horses no corn." 

" My ro is prisoner at the village 
yonder," said the woman, pointing 



with her hand in a particular direc- 
tion ; " he is prisoner yonder for chor- 
rag a mailla (stealing a donkey) ; we 
are come to see what we can do in his 
behalf; and where can we lodge better 
than in this forest, where there is no- 
thing to pay ? It is not the first time, 
I trow, that Calore' have slept at the 
root of a tree." 

One of the striplings now gave us 
barley for our animals in a large bag, 
into which we successively introduced 
their heads, allowing the famished 
creatures to regale themselves till we 
conceived that they had satisfied their 
hunger. There was a puchero sim- 
mering at the fire, half-full of bacon, 
garbanzos, and other provisions; this 
was emptied into a large wooden 
platter, and out of this Antonio and 
myself supped ; the other Gypsies re- 
fused to join us, giving us to under- 
stand that they had eaten before our 
arrival ; they all, however, did justice 
to the leathern bottle of Antonio, which, 
before his departure from Merida, he 
had the precaution to fill. 

I was by this time completely over- 
come with fatigue and sleep. Antonio 
flung me an immense horse-cloth, of 
which he bore more than one beneath 
the huge cushion on which he rode ; in 
this I wrapped myself, and placing my 
head upon a bundle, and my feet as 
near as possible to the fire, I lay down. 

Antonio and the other Gypsies re- 
mained seated by the fire conversing. 
I listened for a moment to what they 
said, but I did not perfectly understand 
it, and what I did understand by no 
means interested me; the rain still 
drizzled, but I heeded it not, and was 
soon asleep. 

The sun was just appearing as I 
awoke. I made several efibrts before 
I could rise from the groimd ; my 
limbs were quite stiff, and my hair was 
covered with rime; for the rain had 
ceased and a rather severe frost set in. 
I looked around me, but could see 
neither Antonio nor the Gypsies; the 
animals of the latter had likewise dis- 
appeared, so had the horse which I had 
hitherto rode ; the mule, however, of 
Antonio still remained fastened to the 



CHAP. X.l 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



57 



tree; this latter circumstance quieted 
some apprehensions which were begin- 
ning to arise in my mind. " They are 
gone on some business of Egypt," I 
said to myself, " and will return anon." 
I gathered together the embers of the 
fire, and heaping upon them sticks and 
branches, soon succeeded in calling forth 
a blaze, beside which I again placed the 
puchero, with what remained of the 
provision of last night. I waited for a 
considerable time in expectation of the 
return of my companions, but as they 
did not appear, I sat down and break- 
fasted. Before I had well finished I 
heard the noise of a horse approaching 
rapidly, and presently Antonio made 
his appearance amongst the trees, with 
some agitation in his countenance. He 
sprang from the horse, and instantly 
proceeded to untie the mule. " Mount, 
brother, mount!" said he. pointing to 
the horse; "I went with the Cailee 
and her chabes to the village where 
the ro is in trouble ; the chinobaro, 
however, seized them at once with 
their cattle, and would have laid hands 
also on me; but I set spurs to the 
grasti, gave him the bridle, and was 
soon far away. Mount, brother, mount, 
or we shall have the whole rustic ca- 
naille upon us in a twinkling." 

I did as he commanded: we were 
presently in the road which we had 
left the night before. Along this we 
hurried at a great rate, the horse dis- 
playing his best speedy trot ; whilst the 
mule, with its ears pricked up, galloped 
gallantly at his side. " What place is 
that on the hill yonder?" said I to 
Antonio, at the expiration of an hour, 
as we prepared to descend a deep 
valley. 

" That is Jaraicejo," said Antonio ; 
" a bad place it is, and a bad place it 
has ever been for the Calo people." 

" If it is such a bad place," said I, 
" I hope we shall not have to pass 
through it." 

" We must pass through it," said 
Antonio, " for more reasons than one : 
first, forasmuch as the ruad lies through 
Jaraicejo ; and, second, forasmuch as it 
will be necessary to purchase provisions 
there, both for ourselves and horses. 



On the other side of Jaraicejo there is a 
wild desert, a despoblado, where we 
shall find nothing." 

We crossed the vailey, and ascended 
the hill, and as we drew near to the 
town, the Gypsy said, " Brother, we had 
best pass through that town singly. 1 
will go in advance ; follow slowly, and 
when there purchase bread and barley , 
you have nothing to fear. I will await 
you on the despoblado." 

Without waiting for my answer he 
hastened forward, and was speedily out 
of sight. 

I followed slowly behind, and en- 
tered the gate of the town : an old dila- 
pidated place, consisting of little more 
than one street. Along this street I 
was advancing, when a man with a 
dirty foraging cap on his head, and 
holding a gun in his hand, came run- 
ning up to me : " Who are you ? " said 
he, in rather rough accents ; " from 
whence do you come ? " 

" From Badajoz and Trujillo," I re- 
plied ; " why do you ask ? " 

" I am one of the national guard," 
said the man, " and am placed here to 
inspect strangers ; I am told that a 
Gypsy fellow just now rode through 
the town ; it is well for him that I had 
stepped into my house. Do you come 
in his company ? " 

" Do I look a person," said I, " likely 
to keep company with Gypsies ? " 

The national measured me from top 
to toe, and then looked me full in the 
face with an expression which seemed 
to say, " likely enough." In fact, my 
appearance was by no means calculated 
to prepossess people in my favour. 
Upon my head I wore an old Andalu- 
sian hat, which, from its condition, ap- 
• peared to have been trodden under foot ; 
a rusty cloak, which had perhaps served 
half a dozen generations, enwrapped 
my body. My nether garments were 
by no means of the finest description ; 
and as far as could be seen were co- 
vered with mud, with which my face 
was likewise plentifully bespattered, 
and upon my chin was a beard of a 
week's growth. 

" Have you a passport ? " at length 
demanded the national. 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



[CHAP. X., 



I remembered having read that the 
best way to win a Spaniard's heart is to 
treat him with ceremonious civility. I 
therefore dismounted, and taking off my 
hat, made a low bow to the constitutional 
soldier, saying, " Senor nacional, you 
must know that I am an English gen- 
tleman, travelling in this country for 
my pleasure ; I bear a passport, which, 
on inspecting, you will find to be per- 
fectly regular ; it was given me by the 
great Lord Palmerston, minister of 
England, whom you of course have 
heard of here ; at the bottom you will 
see his own handwriting; look at it 
and rejoice; perhaps you will never 
have another opportunity. As I put 
unbounded confidence in the honour of 
every gentleman, I leave the passport 
in your hands whilst I repair to the 
posada to refresh myself. When you 
have inspected it, you will perhaps 
oblige me so far as to bring it to me. 
Cavalier, I kiss your hands." 

I then made him another low bow, 
which he returned with one still lower, 
and leaving him now staring at the 
passport and now looking at myself, I 
went into a posada, to which I was 
directed by a beggar whom I met. 

I fed the horse, and procured some 
bread and barley, as the Gypsy had 
directed me ; I likewise purchased three 
fine partridges of a fowler, who was 
drinking wine in the posada. He was 
satisfied with the price I gave him, and 
offered to treat me with a copita, to 
which I made no objection. As we 
sat discoursing at the table, the national 
entered with the passport in his hand, 
and sat down by us. 

National. — Caballero ! I return you 
your passport, it is quite in form ; I 
rejoice much to have made your ac- 
quaintance ; I have no doubt that you 
can give me some information respect- 
ing the present war. 

Myself. — I shall be very happy to 
afford so polite and honourable a gen- 
tleman any information in my power. 

National. — What is England dping, 
— is she about to afford any assistance 
to this country? If she pleased she 
could put down the war in three 
months. 



Myself. — Be under no apprehension. 
Senor nacional; the war will be put 
down, don't doubt. You have heard of 
the English legion, which my Lord 
Palmerston has sent over ? Leave the 
matter in their hands, and you will 
soon see the result. 

National. — It appears to me that this 
Caballero Balmerson must be a very 
honest man. 

Myself. — There can be no doubt of 

it. 

National. — I have heard that he is 
a great general. 

Myself. — There can be no doubt of 
it. In some things neither Napoleon 
nor the sawyer * would stand a chance 
with him for a moment. Es mucho 
hombre. 

National. — I am glad to hear it. 
Does he intend to head the legion him- 
self? 

Myself. — I believe not; but he has 
sent over, to head the fighting men, a 
friend of his, who is thought to be 
nearly as much versed in military 
matters as himself. 

National. — I am rejoiced to hear it. 
I see that the war will soon be over. 
Caballero, I thank you for your polite- 
ness, and for the information which 
you have afforded me. I hope you 
will have a pleasant journey. I con- 
fess that I am surprised to see a gen- 
tleman of your country travelling 
alone, and in this manner, through 
such regions as these. The roads are 
at present very bad ; there have of late 
been many accidents, and more thay 
two deaths in this neighbourhood. The 
despoblado out yonder has a particu- 
larly evil name; be on your guard, 
Caballero. I am sorry that Gypsy was 
permitted to pass; should you meet 
him and not like his looks, shoot him 
at once, stab him, or ride him down. 
He is a well-known thief, contraban- 
dista, and murderer, and has committed 
more assassinations than he has fingers 
on his hands. Caballero, if you please, 
we will allow you a guard to the other 
side of the pass. You do not wish it ? 
Then, farewell. Stay, before I go 1 

* El Serrador, a Carlist partisan, who aboul 
this period was much talked of in Spain. 



CHAP. X.] 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



r <9 



should wish to see once more the sig- 
nature of the Caballero Balmerson. 

I showed him the signature, which 
he looked upon with profound rever- 
ence, uncovering his head for a mo- 
ment ; we then embraced and parted. 

I mounted the horse and rode from 
the town, at first proceeding very 
slowly; I had no sooner, however, 
reached the moor, than I put the animal 
to his speedy trot, and proceeded at a 
tremendous rate for some time, expect- 
ing every moment to overtake the 
Gypsy. I, however, saw nothing of 
him, nor did I meet with a single hu- 
man being. The road along which I 
sped was narrow and sandy, winding 
amidst thickets of broom and brush- 
wood, with which the despoblado was 
overgrown, and which in some placts 
were as high as a man's head. Across 
the moor, in the direction in which I 
was proceeding, rose a lofty eminence, 
naked and bare. The moor extended 
for at least three leagues ; I had nearly 
crossed it, and reached the foot of the 
ascent. I was becoming very uneasy, 
conceiving that I might have passed 
the Gypsy amongst the thickets, when 
T suddenly heard his well-known Ola! 
and his black savage head and staring 
eyes suddenly appeared from amidst a 
clump of broom. 

" You have tarried long, brother," 
said he; "I almost thought you had 
played me false." 

He bade me dismount, and then pro- 
ceeded to lead the horse behind the 
thicket, where I found the mule pic- 
queted to the ground. I gave him the 
barley and provisions, and then pro- 
ceeded to relate to liim my adventure 
with the national. 

" I would I had him here," said the 
Gypsy, on hearing the epithets which 
the former had lavished upon him. " I 
would I had him here, then should my 
chulee and his carlo become better ac- 
quainted." 

" And what are you doing here your- 
self," I demanded, " in this wild place, 
amidst these thickets ?" 

** I am expecting a messenger down 
yon pass," said the Gypsy ; * and till 
that messenger arrive I can neither go 



forward nor return. It is on business 
of Egypt, brother, that I am here." 

As he invariably used this last ex- 
pression when he wished to evade my 
inquiries, 1 held my peace, and said no 
more ; the animals were fed, and we 
proceeded to make a frugal repast on 
bread and wine. 

" Why do you not cook the game 
which I brought ?" I demanded ; " in 
this place there is plenty of materials 
for a fire." 

" The smoke might discover us, bro- 
ther," said Antonio. " I am desirous 
of lying escondido in this place until 
the arrival of the messenger." 

It was now considerably past noon ; 
the G ypsy lay behind the thicket, rais- 
ing himself up occasionally and looking 
anxiously towards the hill which lay 
over against us ; at last, with an excla- 
mation of disappointment and impati- 
ence, he flung himself on the ground, 
where he lay a considerable time, ap- 
parently mminating ; at last he lifted 
up his head and looked me in the face. 

Antonio. — Brother, I cannot imagine 
what business brought you to this 
country. 

Myself. — Perhaps the same which 
brings you to tins moor — business of 
Egypt. 

Antonio. — Not so, brother ; you speak 
the language of Egypt, it is true, but 
your ways and words are neither those 
of the Gales nor of the Busne. 

Myself. — Did you not hear me speak 
in the foros about God and Tebleque ? 
It was to declare Ids glory to the Cales 
and Gentiles that I came to the land of 
Spain. 

Antonio. — And who sent you om this 
errand ? 

Myself. — You would scarcely under- 
stand me were I to inform you. Know, 
however, that there are many in foreign 
lands who lament the darkness which 
envelopes Spain, and the scenes of 
cruelty, robbery, and murder which de- 
form it. 

Antonio. — Are they Galore or Busne ? 

Myself.— What matters it? Both 
Calore' and Busne are so us of the same 
God. 

Antonio. — You lie, brother, they are 



60 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



[ CHAP. X. 



not of one father nor of one Errate. 
You speak of robbery, cruelty, and 
murder. There are too many Busne, 
brother ; if there were no Busne there 
would be neither robbery nor murder. 
The Calore neither rob nor murder 
eaeh other, the Busne do ; nor are they 
cruel to their animals, their law forbids 
them. When I was a child I was 
beating a burra, but my father stopped 
my hand, and cliided me. " Hurt not 
the animal," said he ; " for within it is 
the soul of your own sister !" 

Myself. — And do you believe in this 
wild doctrine, 0 Antonio ? 

Antonio. — Sometimes I do, some- 
times I do not. There are some who 
believe in nothing ; not even that they 
live ! Long since, I knew an old Ca- 
loro, he was old, very old, upwards of 
a hundred years, — and I once heard 
him say, that all Ave thought we saw 
was a lie : that there was no world, no 
men nor women, no horses nor mules, 
no olive-trees. But whither are we 
straying ? I asked what induced you 
to come to this country — you tell me, 
the glory of God and Tebleque. Dis- 
parate ! tell that to the Busne'. You 
have good reasons for coming, no doubt, 
else you would not be here. Some say 
you are a spy of the Londone, perhaps 
you are ; I care not. Rise, brother, and 
tell me whether any one is coming down 
the pass. 

" I see a distant object/' I replied ; 
" like a speck on the side of the hill." 

The Gypsy started up, and we both 
fixed our eyes on the object : the dis- 
tance was so great that it was at first 
with difficulty that we could distinguish 
whether it moved or not. A quarter 
of an hour, however, dispelled all 
doubts, for within this time it had nearly 
reached the bottom of the hill, and we 
could descry a figrire seated on an animal 
of some kind. 

" It is a woman," said I, at length, 
" mounted on a grey donkey." 

" Then it is my messenger," said 
Antonio, " for it can be no other." 

The woman and the donkey were 
now upon the plain, and for some time 
were concealed from us by the copse and 
brushwood which intervened. They 



were not long, however, in making their 
appearance at the distance of about a 
hundred yards. The donkey was a 
beautiful creature of a silver grey, and 
came frisking along, swinging her tail, 
and moving her feet so quick that they 
scarcely seemed to touch the ground. 
The animal no sooner perceived us than 
she stopped short, turned round, and 
attempted to escape by the way she had 
come ; her rider, however, detained her, 
whereupon the donkey kicked violently, 
and would probably have flung the for- 
mer, had she not sprung nimbly to the 
ground. The form of the woman was 
entirely concealed by the large wrapping 
man's cloak which she wore. I ran to 
assist her, when she turned her face full 
upon me, and I instantly recognized 
the sharp clever features of Antonia, 
whom I had seen at Badajoz, the 
daughter of my guide. She said no- 
thing to me, but advancing to her 
father, addressed something to him in 
a low voice, which I did not hear. He 
started back, and vociferated " All !" 
" Yes," said she in a louder tone, pro- 
bably repeating the words which I had 
not caught before, " All are captured." 

The Gypsy remained for some time 
like one astounded, and, unwilling to 
listen to their discourse, which I ima- 
gined might relate to business of Egypt, 
I walked away amidst the thickets. I 
was absent for some time, but could 
occasionally hear passionate expressions 
and oaths. In about half an hour I re- 
turned ; they had left the road, but I 
found them behind the broom clump, 
where the animals stood. Both were 
seated on the ground ; the features of 
the Gypsy were peculiarly dark and 
grim ; he held his unsheathed knife in 
his hand, which he would occasionally 
plunge into the earth, exclaiming, 
" All ! All I" 

" Brother," said he at last, " I can 
go no farther with you ; the business 
which carried me to Castumba is set- 
tled ; you must now travel by yourself 
and trust to your baji Cfortune)." 

" I trust in Undevel," I replied, " who 
wrote my fortune long ago. But how 
am I to journey ? I have no horse, for 
you doubtless want your own," 



CHAP. X.] 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



61 



The Gypsy appeared to reflect : " I 
want the horse, it is true, brother," he 
said, " and likewise the macho ; but you 
shall not go en pindre (on foot) ; you 
shall purchase the burra of Antonia, 
which I presented her when I sent her 
upon this expedition." 

" The burra," I replied, " appears 
both savage and vicious." 

" She is both, brother, and on that 
account I bought her; a savage and 
vicious beast has generally four excel 



lent legs. You are a Calo, brother, and 
can manage her; you shall therefore 
purchase the savage burra, giving my 
daughter Antonia a baria of gold. If 
you think fit, you can sell the beast at 
Talavera or Madrid, for Estremenian 
bestis are highly considered in Cas- 
tumba." 

In less than an hour I was on the 
other side of the pass, mounted on the 
savage burra. 



[ Mi \ 



CHAPTER XI. 

The Pass of Mirabete — Wolves and Shepherds— Female Subtlety — Death by Wohes — The 
Mystery solved— The Mountains— The Dark Hour — The Traveller of the Night — Abar- 
benel — Hoarded Treasure — Force of Gold — The Archbishop — Arrival at Madrid. 



T proceeded down the pass of Mira- 
bete, occasionally ruminating on the 
matter which had brought me to Spain, 
and occasionally admiring one of the 
finest prospects in the world ; before 
me outstretched lay immense plains, 
bounded in the distance by huge moun- 
tains, whilst at the foot of the hill 
which I was now descending rolled 
the Tagus, in a deep narrow stream, | 
between lofty banks ; the whole was J 
gilded by the rays of the setting sun ; 
for the day, though cold and wintry, 
was bright and clear. In about an 
hour I reached the river at a place 
where stood the remains of what had 
once been a magnificent bridge, which 
had, however, been blown up in the 
Peninsular war and never since re- 
paired. 

I crossed the river in a ferry-boat ; 
the passage was rather difficult, the 
current very rapid and swollen, owing 
to the latter rains. 

" Am I in New Castile ?" I de- 
manded of the ferryman, on reaching 
the further bank. " The raya is many 
leagues from hence," replied the ferry- 
man ; " you seem a stranger. Whence 
do you come ?" " From England," I 
replied, and without waiting for an 
answer, I sprang on the burra, and 
proceeded on my way. The burra 
plied her feet most nimbly, and, shortly 
after nightfall, brought me to a village 
at about two leagues' distance from 
the river's bank. 

I sat down in the venta where I put 
up ; there was a huge fire, consisting 
of the greater part of the trunk of an 
olive-tree ; the company was rather 
miscellaneous : a hunter with his esco- 
peta ; a brace of shepherds with im- 
mense dogs, of that species for which 



Estremadura is celebrated; a broken 
soldier, just returned from the wars ; 
and a beggar, who, after demanding 
charity for the seven wounds of Maria 
Santissima, took a seat amidst us, and 
made himself quite comfortable. The 
hostess was an active bustling woman, 
and busied herself in cooking my sup- 
per, which consisted of the game which 
I i U'dxx. purchased at Jaraicejo, and 
! whicn. on my taking leave of the 
Gypsy, he had counselled me to take 
with me. In the mean time, I sat by 
the fire listening to the conversation of 
the company. 

" I would I were a wolf/' said one 
of the shepherds ; "or, indeed, any- 
thing rather than what I am. A pretty 
life is this of ours, out in the campo, 
among the carascales, suffering heat 
and cold for a peseta a-day. I would I 
were a wolf; he fares better and is 
more respected than the wretch of a 
shepherd." 

" But he frequently fares scurvily," 
said I ; " the shepherd and dogs fall 
upon him, and then he pays for his 
temerity with the loss of his head." 

" That is not often the case, senor 
traveller," said the shepherd ; " he 
watches his opportunity, and seldom 
runs into harm's way. And as to at- 
tacking him, it is no very pleasant 
task ; he has both teeth and claws, and 
dog or man, who has once felt them, 
likes not to venture a second time 
within his reach. These dogs of mine 
will seize a bear singly with consider- 
able alacrity, though he is a most pow- 
erful animal, but I have seen them 
run howling away from a wolf, even 
though there were two or three of us 
at hand to encourage them." 
j " A dangerous person is the wolf." 



chap, xi.] THE BIBLE 

said the other shepherd, " and cunning 
as dangerous ; who knows more than 
he ? He knows the vulnerable point 
of every animal ; see, for example, 
how he flies at the neck of a bullock, 
tearing open the veins with his grim 
teeth and claws. But does he attack 
a horse in this manner ? I trow not." 
" Not he," said the other shepherd, 
he is too good a judge ; but he fast- 
ens on the haunches, and hamstrings 
him in a moment. O the fear of the ! 
horse when he comes near the dwelling 
of the wolf. My master was the other 
J day riding in the despoblado, above 
the pass> on his fine Andalusian steed, 
which" had cost him five hundred dol- 
lars; suddenly the horse stopped, and 
sweated and trembled like a woman in 
the act of fainting ; my master could 
not conceive the reason, but presently 
he heard a squealing and growling in 
the bushes, whereupon he fired off his 
gun and scared the wolves, who scam- 
pered away ; but he tells me, that the 
horse has not yet recovered from his 
fright." 

" Yet the mares know, occasionally, 
how to balk him," replied his com- 
panion ; " there is great craft and ma- 
lice in mares, as there is in all females ; 
see them feeding in the campo with 
their young cria about them ; presently 
the alarm is given that the wolf is 
drawing near; they start wildly and 
run about for a moment, but it is only 
for a moment — amain they gather to- 
gether, forming themselves into a circle, 
in the centre of which they place the 
foals. Onward comes the wolf, hoping 
to make his dinner on horseflesh ; he 
is mistaken, however, the mares have 
balked him, and are as cunning as 
himself : not a tail is to be seen — not a 
hinder quarter — but there stand the 
whole troop, their fronts towards him 
ready to receive him, and as he runs 
round them barking and howling, they 
rise successively on their hind -legs, 
ready to stamp him to the earth, should 
he attempt to hurt their cria or them- 
selves." 

" Worse than the he-wolf," said the 
soldier. " is the female ; for, as the 
senor pastor has well observed, there is 
more malice in women than in males : 



IN SPAIN. 03 



to see one of these she-demons with a 
troop of the males at her heels is truly 
surprising : where she turns they turn, 
and what she does that do they ; for 
they appear bewitched, and have no 
power but to imitate her actions. I 
was once travelling with a comrade 
over the hills of Galicia, when we 
heard a howl. ' Those are wolves/ 
said my companion, ' let us get out of 
the way ; so we stepped from the path 
and ascended the side of the hill a little 
way, to a terrace, where grew vines, 
after the manner of Galicia : presently 
appeared a large grey she-wolf, desho- 
nesta, snapping and growling at a troop 
of demons, who followed close behind, 
their tails uplifted, and their eyes like 
firebrands. What do you think the 
perverse brute did ? Instead of keep- 
ing to the path, she turned in the very 
direction in which we were ; there was 
now no remedy, so we stood still. I 
was the first upon the terrace, and by 
me she passed so close that I felt her 
hair brush against my legs ; she, how- 
ever, took no notice of me, but pushed 
on, neither looking to the right nor left, 
and all the other wolves trotted by me 
without offering the slightest injury, 
or even so much as looking me. Would 
that I could say as much for my poor 
companion, who stood farther on, and 
was, I believe, less in the demon's way 
than I was ; she had nearly passed him, 
when suddenly she turned half round 
and snapped at him. I shall never 
forget what followed : in a moment a 
dozen wolves were upon him, tearing 
him limb from limb, with bowlings 
like nothing in this world ; in a few 
moments he was devoured ; nothing 
remained but the skull and a few bones ; 
and then they passed on in the same 
manner as they came. Good reason 
had I to be grateful that my lady wolf 
took less notice of me than my poor 
comrade." 

Listening to this and similar con- 
versation, I fell into a doze before the 
fire, in which I continued for a con- 
siderable time, but was at length roused 
by a voice exclaiming in a loud tone, 
" All are captured ! " These were the 
exact words which when spoken by 
his daughter, confounded the Gypsy 



S4 



fHE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



[chap. XI. 



upon the moor. I looked around me ; 
the company consisted of the same in- 
dividuals to whose conversation I had 
been listening before I sank into slum- 
ber ; but the beggar was now the spokes- 
man, and he was haranguing with con- 
siderable vehemence. 

" I beg your pardon, Caballero," 
said I, " but I did not hear the com- 
mencement of your discourse. Who 
are those who have been captured ? " 

"A baud of accursed Gitanos, Ca- 
ballero," replied the beggar, returning 
the title of courtesy which I had be- 
stowed upon him. " During more 
than a fortnight they have infested the 
roads on the frontier of Castile, and 
many have been the gentlemen travel- 
lers like yourself whom they have 
robbed and murdered. It would seem 
that the Gypsy canaille must needs 
take advantage of these troublous times, 
and form themselves into a faction. It 
is said that the fellows of whom I am 
speaking expected many more of their 
brethren to join them, which is likely 
enough, for all Gypsies are thieves : 
but praised be God, they have been 
put down before they became too for- 
midable. I saw them myself conveyed 

to the prison at . Thanks be to 

God. Todos estan presos" 

" The mystery is now solved," said 
I to myself, and proceeded to despatch 
my supper, which was now ready. 

The next day's journey brought me 
to a considerable town, the name of 
which I have forgotten. It is the first 
in New Castile, in this direction. I 
passed the night as usual in the manger 
of the stable, close beside the Caballe- 
ria ; for, as I travelled upon a donkey, 
I deemed it incumbent upon me to be 
satisfied with a couch in keeping with 
my manner of journeying, being averse, 
by any squeamish and over-delicate 
airs, to generate a suspicion amongst 
the people with whom I mingled that I 
was aught higher than what my equi- 
page and outward appearance might 
lead them to believe. Rising before 
daylight, I again proceeded on my way, 
hoping ere night to be able to reach 
Talavera, which I was informed was 
ten leagues distant. The way lay en- 
tirely over an unbroken level, for the 



most part covered with olive-trees. On 
the left, however, at the distance of a 
few leagues, rose the mighty mountains 
which I have already mentioned. They 
run eastward in a seemingly intermin- 
able range, parallel with the route 
which I was pursuing ; their tops and 
sides were covered with dazzling snow, 
and the blasts which came sweeping 
from them across the wide and melan- 
choly plains were of bitter keenness. 

" What mountains are those ? " I in- 
quired of a barber-surgeon who, mounted 
like myself on a grey burr a, joined me 
about noon, and proceeded in my com- 
pany for several leagues. " They have 
many names, Caballero," replied the 
barber; " according to the names of 
the neighbouring places, so they are 
called. Yon portion of them is styled 
the Serrania of Plasencia ; and opposite 
to Madrid they are termed the Mountains 
of Guadarama, from a rivei of that name, 
which descends from them ; they run a 
vast way, Caballero, and separate the two 
kingdoms, for on the other side is Old 
Castile. They are mighty mountains, 
and, though they generate much cold, 
I take pleasure in looking at them, 
which is not to be wondered at, seeing 
that I was born amongst them, though 
at present, for my sins, I live in a vil- 
lage of the plain. Caballero, there is 
not another such range in Spain ; they 
have their secrets too — their mysteries 
— strange tales are told of those hills, 
and of what they contain in their deep 
recesses, for they are a broad chain, 
and you may wander days and days 
amongst them without coming to any 
termino. Many have lost themselves 
on those hills, and have never again 
been heard of. Strange things are told 
of them: it is said that in certain 
places there are deep pools and lakes, 
in which dwell monsters, huge serpents 
as long as a pine-tree, and horses of the 
flood, which sometimes come out and 
commit mighty damage. One thing is 
certain, that yonder, far away to the 
west, in the heart of those hills, there 
is a wonderful valley, so narrow that 
only at mid-day is the face of the sun 
to be descried from it. That valley 
lay undiscovered and unknown fo! 
thousands of years : no person dreamed 



chap, xi .J 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



of its existence, but at last, a longtime 
ago, certain hunters entered it by 
chance, and then what do you think 
they found. Caballero ? They found a 
small nation or tribe of unknown peo- 
ple, speaking an unknown language, 
who, perhaps, had lived there since the 
creation of the world, without inter- 
course with the rest of their fellow- 
creatures, and without knowing that 
other beings besides themselves ex- 
isted ! Caballero, did you never hear 
of the valley of the Batuecas ? Many 
books have been written about that 
valley and those people. Caballero, I 
am proud of yonder hills ; and were I 
independent, and without wife or 
children, I would purchase a burra 
like that of your own, which I see is an 
excellent one, and far superior to mine, 
and travel amongst them till I knew 
all their mysteries, and had seen all the 
wondrous things which they contain." 

Throughout the day I pressed the 
burra forward, only stopping once in 
order to feed the animal ; but, notwith- 
standing that she played her part very 
well, night came on, and I was still 
about two leagues from Talavera. As 
the sun went down, the cold became 
intense ; I drew the old Gypsy cloak, 
which I still wore, closer around me, 
but I found it quite inadequate to pro- 
tect me from the inclemency of the 
atmosphere. The road, which lay over 
a plain, was not very distinctly traced, 
» and became in the dusk rather difficult 
to find, more especially as cross roads 
leading to different places were of fre- 
quent occurrence. I, however, pro- 
ceeded in the best manner I could, and 
when I became dubious as to the course 
which I should take, I invariably al- 
lowed the animal on which I was 
mounted to decide. At length the moon 
shone out faintly, when suddenly by its 
beams I beheld a figure moving before 
me at a slight distance. I quickened 
the pace of the burra, and was soon 
close at its side. It went on, neither 
altering its pace nor looking round for 
a moment. It was the figure of a man, 
the tallest and bulkiest that I had hi- 
therto seen in Spain, dressed in a man- 
ner strange and singular for the country. 
On his head was a hat with a low 



crown and broad brim, very much re- 
sembling that of an English waggoner ; 
about his body was a long loose tunic 
or slop, seemingly of coarse tieken, 
open in front, so as to allow the interior 
garments to be occasionally seen ; these 
appeared to consist of a jerkin and short 
velveteen pantaloons. 1 have said that 
the brim of the hat was broad, but 
broad as it was, it was insufficient to 
cover an immense bush of coal-black 
hair, which, thick and curly, projected 
on either side ; over the left shoulder 
was flung a kind of satchel, and in the 
right hand was held a long staff or pole. 

There was something peculiarly 
strange about the figure; but what 
struck me the most was the tranquillity 
with which it moved along, taking no 
heed of me, though of course aware of 
my proximity, but looking straight for- 
ward along the road, save when it occa- 
sionally raised a huge face and large 
eyes towards the moon, which was now 
shining forth in the eastern quarter. 

" A cold night/' said I at last. " Is 
this the way to Talavera ? " 

" It is the way to Talavera, and the 
night is cold." 

" I am going to Talavera," said I, 
" as I suppose you are yourself." 

" I am going thither, so are you, 
Bueno." 

The tones of the voice which deli- 
vered these words were in their way 
quite as strange and singular as the 
figure to which the voice belonged ; 
they were not exactly the tones of a 
Spanish voice, and yet there was some- 
thing in them that could hardly be 
foreign ; the pronunciation also was 
correct, and the language, though sin- 
gular, faultless. But I was most struck 
with the manner in which the last 
word, bueno, was spoken. I had heard 
something like it before, but where or 
when I could by no means remember. 
A pause now ensued ; the figure stalk- 
ing on as before with the most perfect 
indifference, and seemingly with no 
disposition either to seek or avoid con- 
versation. 

" Are you not afraid." said 1 at last, 
" to travel these roads in the dark ? It 
is said that there are robbers abroad." 

" Are ycu not rather afraid," replied 

F 



66 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



[CHAP. XI. 



the figure, " to travel these roads in 
the dark? — you who are ignorant of 
the country, who are a foreigner, an 
Englishman ! " 

" How is it that you know me to be 
an Englishman ? " demanded I, much 
surprised. 

" That is no difficult matter," re- 
plied the figure ; " the sound of vour 
voice was enough to tell me that." 

" You speak of voices," said I ; " sup- 
pose the tone of your own voice were 
to tell me who you are ? " 

" That it will not do," replied my 
companion ; " you know nothing about 
me — you can know nothing about me." 

" Be not sure of that, my friend ; I 
am acquainted with many things of 
which you have little idea." 

" Por exemplo," said the figure. 

" For example," said I ; " you speak 
two languages." 

The figure moved on, seemed to con- 
sider a moment, and then said slowly, 
bueno. 

" You have two names," I continued ; 
" one for the house, and the other for 
the street ; both are good, but the one 
by which you are called at home is the 
one which you like best." 

The man walked on about ten paces, 
in the same manner as he had pre- 
viously done : all of a sudden he turned, 
and taking the bridle of the burra 
gently in his hand, stopped her. I had 
now a full view of his face and figure, 
and those huge features and Herculean 
form still occasionally revisit me in 
my dreams. I see him standing in the 
moonshine, staring me in the face with 
his deep calm eyes. At last he said : 

" Are you then one of us ?" 

it was late at night when we arrived 
at Talavera. We went to a large gloomy 
house, which my companion informed 
me was the principal posada of the 
town. We entered the kitchen, at the 
extremity of which a large fire was 
blazing. " Pepita," said my companion 
to a handsome girl who advanced smi- 
ling towards us ; *' a brasero and a pri- 
vate apartment ; this cavalier is a friend 
of mine, and Ave shall sup together.". 
We were shown to an apartment, in 
which were two alcoves containing beds. 



After supper, which consisted of the 
very best, by the order of my com- 
panion, we sat over the brasero, and 
commenced talking. 

Mi/self. — Of course you have con- 
versed with Englishmen before, else 
you could not have recognised me by 
the tone of my voice. 

Aharbenel. — I was a young lad when 
the war of the Independence broke out, 
and there came to the village in which 
our family lived an English officer, in 
order to teacli discipline to the new 
levies. He was quartered in my father's 
house, where he conceived a great af- 
fection for me. On his departure, with 
the consent of my father, I attended 
him through botli the Castiles, partly as 
companion, partly as domestic. I was 
with him nearly a year, when he was 
suddenly summoned to return to his 
own country. He would fain have 
taken me with him, but to that my 
father would by no means consent. It 
is now five-and-twenty years since I 
last saw an Englishman ; but you have 
seen how I recognised you, even in the 
dark night. 

Myself.— And what kind of life do 
you pursue, and by what means do you 
obtain support ? 

Aharbenel. — I experience no diffi- 
culty. I live much in the same way 
as I believe my forefathers lived : cer- 
tainly as my father did, for his course 
has been mine. At his death I took 
possession of the herencia, for I was his * 
only child. It was not requisite that 
I should follow any business, for my 
wealth was great ; yet, to avoid remark, 
I followed that of my father, who was 
a longanizero. I have occasionally 
dealt in wool, but lazily — lazily — as I 
had no stimulus for exertion. I was, 
however, successful ; in many instances 
strangely so; much more than many 
others who toiled day and night, and 
whose whole soul was in the trade. 

Myself. — Have you any children ? 
Are you married ? 

Aharbenel. - I have no children, 
though I am married. I have a wife, 
and an amiga, or I should rather say 
two wives, for I am wedded to both. 
I however call one my amiga, for ap- 
pearance sake, for I wish to live in 



CHAP. XI. J 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



67 



quiet, and am unwilling to offend the 
prejudices of the surrounding people. 

Myself. — You say you are wealthy. 
In what does your wealth consist ? 

Abarbenel. — In gold and silver, and 
stones of price ; for I have inherited all 
the hoards of my forefathers. The 
greater part is buried under ground; 
indeed, I have never examined the tenth 
part of it. I have coins of silver and 
gold older than the times of Ferdinand 
the Accursed and Jezebel ; I have also 
large sums employed in usury. We 
keep ourselves close, however, and pre- 
tend to be poor, miserably so ; but on 
certain occasions, at our festivals, when 
our gates are barred, and our savage 
dogs are let loose in the court, we eat 
our food off services such as the Queen 
of Spain cannot boast of, and wash our 
feet in ewers of silver, fashioned and 
wrought before the Americas were 
discovered, though our garments are at 
all times coarse, and our food for the 
most part of the plainest description. 

Myself. — Are there more of you than 
yourself and your two wives ? 

Abarbenel. — There are my two ser- 
vants, who are likewise of us — the one 
is a youth, and is about to leave, being 
betrothed to one at some distance ; the 
other is old : he is now upon the road, 
following me with a mule and car. 

Myself. — And whither are you bound 
at present ? 

Abarbenel. — To Toledo, where I ply 
h my trade occasionally of longanizero. 
I love to wander about, though I seldom 
stray far from home. Since I left the 
Englishman my feet have never once 
stepped beyond the bounds of New 
Castile. I love to visit Toledo, and to 
think of the times which have long 
since departed ; I should establish my- 
self there, were there not so many 
accursed ones, who look upon me with 
an evil eye. 

Myself. — Are you known for what 
you 'are ? Do the authorities molest 
you? 

Abarbenel. — People of course suspect 
me to be what I am ; but as I conform 
outwardly in most respects to their 
ways, they do not interfere with me. 
True it is that sometimes, when I enter 
the church to hear the mass, they glare 



at me over the left shoulder, as much 
as to say — " What do you here V And 
sometimes they cross themselves as 1 
pass by ; but as they go no further, I 
do not trouble myself on that account. 
With respect to the authorities, they 
are not bad friends of miue. Many of 
the higher class have borrowed money 
from me on usury, so that I have them 
to a certain extent in my power ; and 
as for the low alguaziis and corchetes, 
they would do anything to oblige me, 
in consideration of a few dollars which 
I occasionally give them ; so that mat- 
ters upon the whole go on remarkably 
well. Of old, indeed, it was far other- 
wise ; yet, I know not how it was, 
though other families suffered much, 
ours always enjoyed a tolerable share 
of tranquillity. The truth is, that our 
family has always known how to guide 
itself wonderfully. I may say there 
is much of the wisdom of the snake 
amongst us. We have always pos- 
sessed friends ; and with respect to ene- 
mies, it is by no means safe to meddle 
with us ; for it is a rule of our house 
never to forgive an injury, and to spare 
neither trouble nor expense in bringing 
ruin and destruction upon the heads of 
our evil-doers. 

Myself — Do the priests interfere 
with you ? 

Abarbenel. — They let me alone, es- 
pecially in our own neighbourhood. 
Shortly after the death of my father 
one hot-headed individual endeavoured 
to do me an evil turn, but I soon re- 
quited him, causing him to be im- 
prisoned on a charge of blasphemy, and 
in prison he remained a long time, till 
he went mad and died. 

Myself — Have you a head in Spain, 
in whom is rested the chief authority ? 

Abarbenel. — Not exactly. There are ; 
however, certain holy families who en- 
joy much consideration ; my own is 
one of these — the chiefest, I may say. 
My grandsire was a particularly holy 
man ; and I have heard my father say, 
that one night an archbishop came to 
his house secretly, mereiv to have the 
satisfaction of kissing his head. 

Myself. — How can that be? What 
reverence could an archbishop entertain 
j for one like yourself or your grandsire ? 

F ? 



68 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



[chap. XI. 



Abarbenel. — More than you imagine. 
He was one of us, at least his father 
was, and he could never forget what he 
had learned with reverence in his in- 
fancy. He said he had tried to forget 
it, but he could not ; that the ruah was 
continually upon him, and that even 
from his childhood he had borne its 
terrors with a troubled mind, till at last 
he could bear himself no longer ; so he 
went to my grandsire, with whom he 
remained one whole night ; he then 
returned to his diocese, where he shortly 
afterwards died, in much renown for 
sanctity. 

Myself. — What you say surprises 
me. Have you reason to suppose that 
many of you are to be found amongst 
the priesthood ? 

Abarbenel. — Not to suppose, but to 
know it. There are many such as I 
amongst the priesthood, and not amongst 
the inferior priesthood either ; some of 
the most learned and famed of them in 
Spain have been of us, or of our blood 
at least, and many of them at this day 
think as I do. There is one particular 
festival of the year at which four digni- 
fied ecclesiastics are sure to visit me ; 
and then, when all is made close and 
secure, and the fitting ceremonies have 
been gone through, they sit down upon 
the floor and curse. 

Myself. — Are you numerous in the 
large towns ? 

Abarbenel. — By no means ; our places 



of abode are seldom the large towns ; 
we prefer the villages, and rarely enter 
the large towns but on business. In- 
deed, we are not a numerous people, 
and there are few provinces of Spain 
which contain more than twenty fami- 
lies. None of us are poor, and those 
among us w T ho serve, do so more from 
choice than necessity, for by serving 
each other we acquire different trades. 
Not unfrequently the time of service is 
that of courtship also, and the servants 
eventually marry the daughters of the 
house. 

We continued in discourse the greater 
part of the night ; the next morning I 
prepared to depart. My companion, 
however, advised me to remain where 
I was for that day. " And if you re- 
spect my counsel," said he, " you will 
not proceed farther in this manner. 
To-night the diligence will arrive from 
Estremadura, on its way to Madrid. 
Deposit yourself therein ; it is the safest 
and most speedy mode of travelling. 
As for your animal, I will myself pur- 
chase her. My servant is here, and 
has informed me that she will be of 
service to us. Let us, therefore, pass 
the day together in communion, like 
brothers, and then proceed on our sepa- 
rate journeys." We did pass the day 
| together ; and when the diligence ar- 
rived I deposited myself within, and on 
the morning of the second day arrived 
at Madrid. 



r go 



CHAPTER XII. 



Lodging at Madrid — My Hostess— British Ambassador — Mendizabai— Baltasar — Duties of s 
National— Young Blood — The Execution — Population of Madrid — The Higher Orders — 
The Lower Classes — The Bull-fighter — The crabbed Gitano. 



It was the commencement of February 
when I reached Madrid. After staying 
a few days at a posada, I removed to a 
lodging which I engaged at No. 3, in 
the Calle de la Zarza, a dark dirty 
street, which, however, was close to the 
Puerta del Sol, the most central point 
of Madrid, into which four or five of 
the principal streets debouche, and 
which is, at all times of the year, the 
great place of assemblage for the idlers 
of the capital, poor or rich. 

It was rather a singular house in 
which I had taken up my abode. I 
occupied the front part of the first 
floor: my apartments consisted of an 
immense parlour, and a small chamber 
on one side in whiuh I slept; the par- 
lour, notwithstanding its size, contained 
very little furniture: a few chairs, a 
table, and a species of sofa, constituted 
the whole. It was very cold and airy, 
owing to the draughts which poured in 
from three large windows, and from 
sundry doors. The mistress of the 
house, attended by her two daughters, 
ushered me in. " Did you ever see 
a more magnificent apartment?" de- 
manded the former ; " is it not fit for a 
king's son ? Last winter it was occu- 
pied by the great General Espartero." 

The hostess was an exceedingly fat 
Avoman, a native of Valladolid, in Old 
Castile. " Have you any other family," 
I demanded, " besides these daughters ?" 
" Two sons," she replied ; " one of 
them an officer in the army, father of 
this urchin," pointing to a wicked but 
clever-looking boy of about tweh'e, who 
at that moment bounded into the room ; 
the other is the most celebrated national 
in Madrid : he is a tailor by trade, and 
his name is Baltasar. He has much 
influence with the other nationals, on 



account of the liberality of his opinions, 
and a word from him is sufficient to 
bring them all out armed and furious to 
the Puerta del Sol. He is, however, at 
present confined to his bed, for he is 
very dissipated, and fond of the com- 
pany of bull-fighters and people still 
worse." 

As my principal motive for visiting 
the Spanish capital was the hope of ob- 
taining permission from the govern- 
ment to print the New Testament in 
the Castilian language, for circulation 
in Spain, I lost no time, upon my ar- 
rival, in taking what I considered to be 
the necessary steps. 

I was an entirl stranger at Madrid, 
and bore no letters of introduction tc 
any persons of influence who might 
have assisted me in this undertaking, 
so that, notwithstanding I entertained 
a hope of success, relying on the assist- 
ance of the Almighty, this hope was 
not at all times very vivid, but was fre- 
quentiv overcast with the clouds of de- 
spondency. 

Mendizabal was at this time prime- 
minister of Spain, and was considered 
as a man of almost unbounded power, 
in whose hands were placed the desti- 
nies of the country. I therefore consi- 
dered that if I could by any means in- 
duce him to favour my views, I should 
have no reason to fear interruption from 
other quarters, and I determined upon 
applying to him. 

Before taking this step, however, 1 
deemed it advisable to wait upon Mr. 
Villiers, the British ambassador at Ma- 
drid, and with the freedom permitted 
to a British subject to ask his advice in 
this affair. I was received with great 
kindness, and enjoyed a -conversation 
with him on various subjects before I 



70 



THE BIBLE 1> T SPA IS. 



[chap. xii. 



introduced the matter which I had most j 
at heart. He said that if I wished for i 
an interview with Mendizabal he would 
endeavour to procure me one, but, at the 
same time, told me frankly that he could 
not hope that any good would arise from 
it, as he knew him to be violently pre- 
judiced against the British and Foreign 
Bible Society, and was far more likely 
to discountenance than encourage any 
efforts which they might be disposed to 
make for introducing the Gospel into 
Spain. I, however, remained resolute 
in my desire to make the trial, and be- 
fore I left him obtained a letter of in- 
troduction to Mendizabal. 

Early one morning I repaired to the 
palace, in a wing of which was the office 
of the Prime Minister; it was bitterly 
cold, and the Guadarama, of which 
there is a noble view from the palace- 
plain, was covered with snow. For at 
least three hours I remained shivering 
with cold in an ante-room, with several 
other aspirants for an interview with 
the man of power. At last his private 
secretary made his appearance, and 
after putting various questions to the 
others, addressed himself to me, asking 
who I was and what I wanted. I told 
him that I was an Englishman, and the 
bearer of a letter from the British Mi- 
nister. " If you have no objection I 
will myself deliver it to his Excel- 
iency," said he; whereupon I handed 
it to him, and he withdrew. Several 
individuals were admitted oetore me; 
at last, however, my own turn came. I 
and I was ushered into the presence of 
Mendizabal. 

He stood behind a table covered with 
papers, on which his eyes were intently 
fixed. He took not the slightest notice 
when I entered, and I had leisure 
enough to survey him. He was a huge 
athletic man, somewhat taller than my- 
self, wbo measure six feet two without 
my shoes : his complexion was florid, 
his features fine and regular, his nose 
quite aquiline, and his teeth splendidly 
white : though scarcely fifty years of 
age, his hair was remarkably grey ; he 
was dressed in a rich morning gown, 
with a gold chain round his neck, and 
morocco slippers on his feet. 

His secretary, a fine lntellectual-look- 



j ing man, who, as I was subsequently 
: informed, had acquired a name both in 
English and Spanish literature, stood at 
one end of the table with papers in his 
hands. 

After I had been standing about a 
quarter of an hour, Mendizabal sud- 
denly lifted up a pair of sharp eyes, and 
fixed them upon me with a peculiarly 
scrutinizing glance. 

" I have seen a glance very simi- 
lar to that amongst the Beni Israel," 
thought I to mvself. .... 

My interview with him lasted nearly 
an hour. Some singular discourse 
passed between us : I found him, as I 
had been informed, a bitter enemy to 
the Bible Society, of which he spoke in 
terms of hatred and contempt ; and by 
no means a friend to the Christian re- 
ligion, which I could easily account for. 
I was not discouraged, however, and 
pressed upon him the matter which 
brought me thither, and was eventually 
so far successful, as to obtain a promise, 
that at the expiration of a few months, 
when he hoped the country would be in 
a more tranquil state, I should be al- 
lowed to print the Scriptures. 

As I was going away he said, " Yours 
is not the first application I have had : 
ever since I have held the reins of go- 
vernment I have been pestered in this 
manner by English, calling themselves 
Evangelical Christians, who have of late 
come flocking over into Spain. Only 
last week a hunchbacked fellow found 
[ his way into my cabinet whilst I was 
engaged in important business, and told 
me that Christ was coming. 

And now 

you have made your appearance, and 
almost persuaded me to embroil myself 
yet more with the priesthood, as if they 
did not abhor me enough already. 
What a strange infatuation is this which 
drives you over lands and waters with 
Bibles in your hands ! My good sir, it 
is not Bibles we want, but rather guns 
•and gunpowder to put the rebels down 
with, and, above all, money, that we 
may pay the troops; whenever you 
come with these three things you shali 
have a hearty welcome, if not, we really 
can dispense with your visits> however 
great the honour." 



CHAP. XII. ] 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



71 



n Myself. — There will be no end to the 
troubles of this afflicted country until 
the Gospel have free circulation. 

Mendizabal. — I expected that an- 
swer, for I have not lived thirteen 
years in England without forming some 
acquaintance with the phraseology of 
you good folks. Now, now, pray go ; 
you see how engaged I am. Come 
again whenever you please, but let it 
not be within the next three months. 

" Don Jorge," said my hostess, com- 
ing into my apartment one morning, 
whilst I sat at breakfast, with, my feet 
upon the brasero, " here is my son 
Baltasarito, the national ; he has risen 
from his bed, and hearing that there is 
an Englishman in the house, he has 
begged me to introduce him, for he loves 
Englishmen on account of the liberality 
of their opinions ; there he is, what do 
you think of him?" 

I did not state to his mother what I 
thought; it appeared to me, however, 
that she was quite right in calling 
him Baltasarito, which is the diminu- 
tive of Baltasar, forasmuch as that an- 
cient and sonorous name had certainly 
never been bestowed on a more dimi- 
nutive personage : he might measure 
about five feet one inch, though he was 
rather corpulent for his height ; his 
face looked yellow and sickly ; he had, 
however, a kind of fanfaronading air, 
and his eyes, which were of dark brown, 
were both sharp and brilliant. His 
dress, or rather his undress, was some- 
what shabby : he had a foraging cap on 
his head, and in lieu of a morning gown 
he wore a sentinel's old great-coat. 

" I am glad to make your acquaint- 
ance, senor nacional," said I to him, 
after his mother had departed, and Bal- 
tasar had taken his seat, and of course 
lighted a paper cigar at the brasero. 
" I am glad to have made your acquaint- 
ance, more especially as your lady- 
mother has informed me that you have 
great influence with the nationals. I 
am a stranger in Spain, and may want 
a friend ; fortune has been kind to me 
in procuring me one who is a member 
of so powerful a body." 

Baltasar. — Yes, I have a great deal 
to say with the other nationals ; there 
is none m Madrid better known than 



Baltasar, or more dreaded by the Car- 
lists. You say you may stand in need 
of a friend ; there is no fear of my fail- 
ing you in any emergency. Both my- 
self and any of the other nationals will 
be proud to go out with you as padrinos, 
should you have any affair of honour 
on your hands. But why do you not 
become one of us ? We would gladly 
receive you into our body. 

Myself — Is the duty of a national 
particularly hard ? 

Baltasar. — By no means; we have 
to do duty about once every fifteen 
days, and then there is occasionally a 
review, which does not last long. No ! 
the duties of a national are by no means 
onerous, and. the privileges are great. 
I have seen three of my brother na- 
tionals walk up and down the Prado of 
a Sunday, with sticks in their hands, 
cudgel ling all the suspicious characters ; 
and it is our common practice to scour 
the streets at night, and then if we meet 
any person who is obnoxious to us, we 
fall upon him, and with a knife or a 
bayonet generally leave him wallowing 
in his blood on the pavement : no one 
but a national would be permitted to do 
that. 

Myself — Of course none but per- 
sons of liberal opinions are to be found 
amongst the nationals ? 

Baltasar. — Would it were so ! There 
are some amongst us, Don Jorge, who 
are no better than they should be ; they 
are few, however, and for the most 
part well known. Theirs is no pleasant 
life, for when they mount guard with 
the rest they are scouted, and not un- 
frequently cudgelled. The law com- 
pels all of a certain age either to serve 
in the army or to become national 
soldiers, on which account some of 
these Godos are to be found amongst 
us. 

Myself. — Are there many in Madrid 
of the Carlist opinion ? 

Baltasar. — Not among the young 
people; the greater part of the Ma- 
drilenian Carlists capable of bearing 
arms departed long ago to join the 
ranks of the factious in the Basque 
provinces. Those who remain are for 
the most part grey-beards and priests, 
good for nothing but to assemble in 



72 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



| CHAP. XII, 



private coffee-houses, and to prate trea- 
son together. Let them prate, Don 
Jorge ; let them prate ; the destinies of 
Spam do not depend on the wishes of 
ojalateros and pasteleros, but on the 
hands of stout gallant nationals, like 
myself and friends, Don Jorge. 

Myself. — I am sorry to learn from 
your lady-mother that you are strangely 
dissipated. 

Baltasar. — Ho, ho, Don Jorge, she 
has told you that, has she ; what would 
you have, Don Jorge? I am young, 
and young blood will have its course. 
I am called Baltasar the gay by all the 
other nationals, and it is on account of 
my gaiety and the liberality of my opi- 
nions that I am so popular among them. 
When I mount guard I invariably carry 
my guitar with me, and then there is 
sure to be a funcion at the guard-house. 
We send for wine, Don Jorge, and the 
nationals become wild, Don Jorge, danc- 
ing and drinking through the nigl.it, 
whilst Baltasarito strums the guitar and 
sings them songs of Germania : — 

" Una romi sin pachi 

Le peno a su chindomar," Src.&c. 

That is Gitano, Don Jorge ; I learnt it 
from the toreros of Andalusia, who all 
speak Gitano, and are mostly of Gypsy 
blood. I learnt it from them; they 
are all friends of mine, Montes Sevilia 
and Poquito Pan. I never miss a 
funcion of bulls, Don Jorge. Baltasar 
is sure to be there with his amiga. Don 
J orge, there are no bull-funcions in the 
winter, or I would carry you to one, 
but happily to-morrow there is an exe- 
cution, a funcion de la horca ; and there 
we will go, Don Jorge. 

We did go to see this execution, 
which I shall long remember. The cri- 
minals were two young men, brothers ; 
they suffered for a most atrocious mur- 
der, having in the dead of night broke 
open the house of an aged man, whom 
they put to death, and whose property 
they stole. Criminals in Spain are not 
hanged as they are in England, or 
guillotined as in France, but strangled 
upon a wooden stage. They sit down 
on a kind of chair with a post behind, 
to which is affixed an iron collar with 
a screw; this iron collar is made to 



clasp the neck of the prisoner, and on 
a certain signal it is drawn tighter and 
tighter by means of the screw, until 
life becomes extinct. After we had 
waited amongst the assembled multi- 
tude a considerable time, the first of the 
culprits appeared ; he was mounted on 
an ass, without saddle or stirrups, his 
legs being allowed to dangle nearly to 
the ground. He was dressed in yeliow 
sulphur-coloured robes, with a high- 
peaked conical red hat on his head, 
which was shaven. Between his hands 
he held a parchment, on which was 
written something, I believe the con- 
fession of faith. Two priests led the 
animal by the bridle ; two others walked 
on either side, chanting litanies, amongst 
which I distinguished the words of 
heavenly peace and tranquillity, for the 
culprit had been reconciled* to the 
church, had confessed and received 
absolution, and had been promised ad- 
mission to heaven. He did not exhibit 
the least symptom of fear, but dis- 
mounted from the animal and was led, 
not supported, up the scaffold, where he 
was placed on the chair, and the fatal 
collar put round his neck. One of the 
priests then in a loud voice commenced 
saying the Belief, and the culprit re- 
peated the words after him. On a sud- 
den, the executioner, who stood be- 
hind, commenced turning the screw, 
which was of prodigious force, and the 
wretched man was almost instantly a 
corpse : but, as the screw went round, 
the priest began to shout, " pax et 
misericordia et tranqvillitas^ and still 
as he shouted, his voice became louder 
and louder, till the lofty walls of Ma- 
drid rang with it : then stooping down, 
he placed his mouth close to the cul- 
prit's ear, still shouting, just as if he 
would pursue the spirit through its 
course to eternity, cheering it on its 
way. The effect was tremendous. I 
myself was so excited that I involun- 
tarily shouted " misericordia" and so 
did many others. God was not thought 
of : Christ was not thought of : only 
the priest was thought of, for he seemed 
at that moment to be the first being in 
existence, and to have the power of 
opening and shutting the gates of heaven 
or of hell, Just as he should think pro- 



CHAP. XII.J 



THE BIBLE 



IN SPAIN. 



73 



per. A striking instance of the suc- 
cessful working of the Popish system, 
whose grand aim has ever been to keep 
people's minds as far as possible from 
God, and to centre their hopes and fears 
in the priesthood. The execution of 
the second culprit was precisely simi- 
lar; he ascended the scaffold a few 
minutes after his brother had breathed 
his last. 

I have visited most of the principal 
capitals of the world, but upon the 
whole none has ever so interested me 
as this city of Madrid, in which I now 
found myself. I will not dwell upon 
its streets, its edifices, its public squares, 
its fountains, though some of these are 
remarkable enough : but Petersburg has 
finer streets, Paris and Edinburgh more 
stately edifices, London far nobler 
squares, whilst Shiraz can boast of 
more costly fountains, though not cooler 
waters. But the population ! Within 
a mud wall, scarcely one league and a 
half in circuit, are contained two hun- 
dred thousand human beings, cer- 
tainly forming the most extraordinary 
vital mass to be found in the entire 
world ; and be it always remembered 
that this mass is strictly Spanish. The 
population of Constantinople is extra- 
ordinary enough, but to form it twenty 
nations have contributed ; Greeks, Ar- 
menians, Persians, Poles, Jews, the 
latter, by the by, of Spanish origin, and 
speaking amongst themselves the old 
Spanish language ; but the huge popu- 
lation of Madrid, with the exception 
of a sprinkling of foreigners, chiefly 
French tailors, glove-makers, and peru- 
quiers, is strictly Spanish, though a 
considerable portion are not natives of 
the place. Here are no colonies of 
Germans, as at Saint Petersburg ; no 
English factories, as at Lisbon ; no 
multitudes of insolent Yankees loung- 
ing through the streets, as at the Ma- 
vamiah, with an air which seems to 
say," the land is our own whenever we 
choose to take it; but a population 
which, however strange and wild, and 
composed of various elements, is Spa- 
nish, and will remain so as long as the 
city itself shall exist. Hail, ye agua- 
< loras of Asturia ! who, in your dress 
of coarse duffel and leathern skul 1-caps, 



are seen seated in hundreds by the 
fountain sides, upon your empty water- 
casks, or staggering with them filled 
to the topmost stories of lofty houses. 
Hail, ye caleseros of Valencia! who, 
lolling lazily against your vehicles, rasp 
tobacco for your paper cigars whilst 
waiting for a fare. Hail to you, beg- 
gars of La Mancha ! men and women, 
who, wrapped in coarse blankets, de- 
mand charity indifferently at the gate 
of the palace or the prison. Hail to 
you, valets from the mountains, mayor- 
domos and secretaries from Biscay and 
Guipuscoa, toreros from Andalusia, 
riposteros from Galicia, shopkeepers 
from Catal«iia ! Hail to ye, Castili- 
ans, Estremenians, and Aragonese, of 
whatever calling ! And lastly, genuine 
sons of the capital, rabble of Madrid, 
ye twenty thousand manolos, whose 
terrible knives, on the second morning 
of May, worked such grim havoc 
amongst the legions of Murat ! 

And the higher orders — the ladies 
and gentlemen, the cavaliers and se- 
ll or as ; shall I pass them by in silence ? 
The truth is I have little to say about 
them ; I mingled but little in their so- 
ciety, and what I saw of them by no 
means tended to exalt them in my ima- 
gination. I am not one of those who, 
wherever they go, make it a constant 
practice to disparage the higher orders, 
and to exalt the populace at their ex- 
pense. There are many capitals in 
which the high aristocracy, the lords 
and ladies, the sons and daughters of 
nobility, constitute the most remark- 
able and the most interesting part of 
the population. This is the case at 
Vienna, and more especially at London. 
Who can rival the English aristocrat 
in lofty stature, in dignified bearing, in 
strength of hand, and valour of heart ? 
Who rides a nobler horse ? Who has 
a tinner seat ? And who more lovely 
than his wife, or sister, or daughter ? 
But with respect to the Spanish aristo- 
cracy, the ladies and gentlemen, the ca- 
valiers and senoras, I believe the less 
that is said of them on the points to 
which I have just alluded the better. I 
confess, however, that I know little 
about them ; they have, perhaps, their 
admirers, and to the pens of such I 



74 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



[chap. XII 



leave their panegyric. Le Sage has 
described them as they were nearly two 
centuries ago. His description is any- 
thing but captivating, and I do not 
think that they have improved since 
the period of the sketches of the im 
mortal Frenchman. I would sooner 
talk of the lower class, not only of Ma- 
drid, but of all Spain. The Spaniard 
of the lower class has much more in- 
terest for me, whether manolo, labourer, 
or muleteer. He is not a common 
being ; he is an extraordinary man. He 
has not, it is true, the amiability and 
generosity of the Russian mujik, who 
will give his only rouble rather than 
the stranger shall want ; nor his placid 
courage, which renders him insensible 
to fear, and, at the command of his 
Tsar, sends him singing to certain 
death.* There is more hardness and 
less self-devotion in the disposition of 
the Spaniard ; he possesses, however, a 
spirit of proud independence, which it 
is impossible but to admire. He is 
ignorant, of course ; but it is singular, 
that I have invariably found amongst 
the low and slightly educated classes 
far more liberality of sentiment than 
amongst the upper. It has long been 
the fashion to talk of the bigotry of the 
Spaniards, and their mean jealousy of 
foreigners. This is true to a certain 
extent : but it chiefly holds good with 
respect to the upper classes. If foreign 
valour or talent has never received its 
proper meed in Spain, the great body 
of the Spaniards are certainly not in 
fault. I have heard Wellington ca- 
lumniated in this proud scene of his 
triumphs, but never by the old soldiers 
of Aragon and the Asturias, who as- 
sisted to vanquish the French at Sala- 
manca and the Pyrenees. I have heard 
the manner of riding of an English 
jockey criticised, but it was by the 
idiotic heir of Medina Celi, and not 
by a picador of the Madrilenian bull- 
ring. 

Apropos of bull-fighters: — Shortly 



* At the last attack on Warsaw, when the 
loss of the Russians amounted to up\*irds of 
twenty thousand men, the soldiery mounted 
the breach, repeating, in measured chant, one 
of their popular songs : " Come, let us cut 
the cabbage," &c. 



after my arrival, I one day entered a 
low tavern in a neighbourhood noto- 
rious for robbery and murder, and in 
which for the last two hours I had been 
wandering on a voyage of discovery. 
I was fatigued, and required refresh- 
ment. I found the place thronged with 
people, who had all the appearance of 
ruffians. I saluted them, upon which 
they made way for me to the bar, 
taking off their sombreros with great, 
ceremony. I emptied a glass of val do 
penas and was about to pay for it and 
depart, when a horrible-looking fel- 
low, dressed in a buff jerkin, leather 
breeches, and jackboots, which came 
half way up his thighs, and having on 
his head a white hat, the rims of which 
were at least a yard and a half in cir- 
cumference, pushed through the crowd, 
and confronting me, roared : — 

" (Jtra copita I vanios Inglesito : Otra 
copita !" 

" Thank you, my good sir, you are 
very kind, you appear to know me, but 
I have not the honour of knowing 
you." 

" Not know me I" replied the being. 
" I am Sevilla, the torero. I know you 
well ; you are the friend of Baltasarito, 
the national, who is a friend of mine, 
and a very good subject." 

Then turning to the company, he 
said in a sonorous tone, laying a strong 
emphasis on the last syllable of every 
word, according to the custom of the 
gente rufianesca throughout Spain : 

" Cavaliers, and strong men, this ca- 
valier is the friend of a friend of mine. 
Es macho h ombre. There is none like 
him in Spain. He speaks the crabbed 
Gitano though he is an Inglesito." 

" We do not believe it," replied se- 
veral grave voices. "It is not pos- 
sible." 

" It is not possible, say you ? I tell 
you it is. Come forward, Balseiro, 
you who have been in prison all your 
life, and are always boasting that you 
can speak the crabbed Gitano, though 
I say you know nothing of it — come 
forward and speak to his worship in the 
crabbed Gitano." 

A low, slight; but active figure stepped 
forward. He was in his shirt-sleeves, 
and wore a montero cap ; his features 



CHAP. XII.] 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



75 



were handsome, but they were those of 
a demon. 

He spoke a few words in the broken 
Gypsy slang of the prison, inquiring of 
me whether I had ever been in the con- 
demned cell, and whether I knew what 
a Gitana * was ? 

" Vamos Inglesito," shouted Sevilla, 
in a voice of thunder; "answer the 
monro in the crabbed Gitano." 

I answered the robber, for such he 
was, and one too whose name will live 
for many a year in the ruffian histories 
of Madrid ; I answered him in a speech 
of some length, in the dialect of the 
Estremenian Gypsies. 

" I believe it is the crabbed Gitano," 
muttered Balseiro. " It is either that 

* Twelve ounces of bread, small pound, as 
given in the prison. 



or Englisli, foi I understand not a word 
of it/' 

" Did I not say to you," cried the 
bull-fighter, "that you knew nothing 
of the crabbed Gitano ? But this In- 
glesito does. I understood all he said. 
Vaya, there is none like him for the 
crabbed Gitano. He is a good ginete, 
too ; next to myself, there is none like 
him, only he rides with stirrup leathers 
too short. Inglesito, if you have need 
of money, I will lend you my purse. 
All I have is at your service, and that 
is not a little ; I have just gained four 
thousand chides by the lottery. Cou- 
rage, Englishman ! Another cup. I 
will pay all. I, Sevilla !" 

And he clapped his hand repeatedly 
on his breast, reiterating " I, Sevilla I 
I " 



L 76 ] 



CHAPTER XIII. 

Intrigues at Court — Quesada and Galiano — Dissolution of the Cortes — The Secretary— -Arago- 
nese Pertinacity — The Council of Trent — The Asturian — The Three Thieves — Benedict 
Mol — The Men of Lucerne — The Treasure. 



Mendizabal had told me to call upon 
him again at the end of three months, 
giving me hopes that he would not then 
oppose himself to the publication of the 
New Testament; before, however, the 
three months had elapsed, he had fallen 
into disgrace, and had ceased to be 
prime minister. 

An intrigue had been formed against 
him, at the head of which were two 
quondam friends of his, and fellow- 
townsmen, Gaditanians, Isturitz and 
Alcala Galiano ; both of them had been 
egregious liberals in their day, and in- 
deed principal members of those cortes 
which, on the Angouleme invasion, had 
hurried Ferdinand from Madrid to 
Cadiz, and kept him prisoner there 
until that impregnable town thought 
proper to surrender, and both of them 
had been subsequently refugees in Eng- 
land, where they had spent a consider- 
able number of years. 

These gentlemen, however, finding 
themselves about this time exceedingly 
poor, and not seeing any immediate 
prospect of advantage from supporting 
Mendizabal, — considering themselves, 
moreover, quite as good men as he, 
and as capable of governing Spain in 
the present emergency, — determined to 
secede from the party of their friend, 
whom they had hitherto supported, and 
to set up for themselves. 

They therefore formed an opposition 
to Mendizabal in the cortes ; the mem- 
bers of this opposition assumed the 
name of moderados, in contradistinction 
to Mendizabal and his followers, who 
were ultra-liberals. The moderados 
were encouraged by the Queen Re- 
gent Christina, who aimed at a little 
more power than the liberals were dis- 
posed to allow her, and who had a per- 



sonal dislike to the minister. They 
were likewise encouraged by Cordova, 
who at that time commanded the army, 
and was displeased with Mendizabal, 
inasmuch as the latter did not supply 
the pecuniary demands of the general 
with sufficient alacrity, though it is 
said that the greater part of what was 
sent for the payment of the troops was 
not devoted to that purpose, but was 
invested in the French funds in the 
name, and for the use and behoof of the 
said Cordova. 

It is, however, by no means my in- 
tention to write an account of the 
political events which were passing 
around me at this period ; suffice it to 
say that Mendizabal, finding himself 
thwarted in all his projects by the re- 
gent and the general, the former 01 
whom would adopt no measure which 
he recommended, whilst the latter re- 
mained inactive, and refused to engage 
the enemy, which by this time had re- 
covered from the check caused by the 
death of Zumalacarregui, and was mak- 
ing considerable progress, resigned, and 
left the field, for the time, open to his 
adversaries, though he possessed an 
immense majority in the cortes, and 
had the voice of the nation, at least the 
liberal part of it, in his favour. 

Thereupon Isturitz became head of 
the cabinet, Galiano minister of ma- 
rine, and a certain Duke of Rivas mi- 
nister of the interior. These were the 
heads of the moderado government; 
but as they were by no means popular 
at Madrid, and feared the nationals, 
they associated with themselves one 
who hated the latter body, and feared 
-nothing, a man of the name of Quesada 
— a very stupid individual, but a great 
fighter, who, at one period of his life, 



CHAP. XIII. J 



THE BIBLE 



IN SPAIN 



77 



had commanded a legion or body of 
men called the Army of the Faith, 
whose exploits, both on the French and 
Spanish side of the Pyrenees, are too 
well known to require recapitulation. 
This person was made captain-general 
of Madrid. 

By far the most clever member of 
this government was Galiano, whose 
acquaintance I had formed shortly after 
my arrival. He was a man of consi- 
derable literature, and particularly well 
versed in that of his own country. He 
was, moreover, a fluent, elegant, and 
forcible speaker, and was to the mode- 
rado party within the cortes what 
Quesada was without, namely, their 
horses and chariots. Why he was 
made minister of marine is difficult to 
say, as Spain did not possess any ; per- 
haps, however, from his knowledge of 
the English language, which he spoke 
and wrote nearly as well as his own 
tongue, having, indeed, during his so- 
journ in England, chiefly supported 
himself by writing for reviews and 
journals, — an honourable occupation, 
but to which few foreign exiles in 
England would be qualified to devote 
themselves. 

He was a very small and irritable 
man, and a bitter enemy to every per- 
son who stood in the way of his ad- 
vancement. He hated Mendizabal 
with undisguised rancour, and never 
spoke of him but in terms of unmea- 
sured contempt. " I am afraid that I 
shall have some difficulty in inducing 
Mendizabal to give me permission to 
print the Testament," said I to him 
one day. " Mendizabal is a jackass," 
replied Galiano. " Caligula made his 
horse consul, which I suppose induced 

Lord to send over this huge 

burro of the Stock Exchange to be our 
minister." 

It would be very ungrateful, on my 
part, were I not to confess my great 
obligations to Galiano, who assisted me 
to the utmost of his power in the busi- 
ness which had brought me to Spain. 
Shortly after the ministry was formed, 
I went to him and said, " that now or 
never was the time to make an effort 
in my behalf." " I will do so," said 
he, in a waspish tone ; for he always 



spoke waspishly whether to friend or 
foe ; " but you must have patience for 
a few day s, we are very much occupied 
at present. We have been outvoted in 
the cortes, and this afternoon we intend 
to dissolve them. It is believed that 
the rascals will refuse to depart, but 
Quesada will stand at the door ready 
to turn them out, should they prove 
refractory. Come along, and you will 

perhaps see a funcion." 

After an hour's debate, the cortes 
were dissolved without it being neces- 
sary to call in the aid of the redoubt- 
able Quesada, and Galiano forthwith 
gave me a letter to his colleague, the 
Duke of Rivas, in whose department 
he told me was vested the power either 
of giving or refusing the permission to 
print the book in question. The duke 
was a very handsome young man, of 
about thirty, an Andalusian by birth, 
like his two colleagues. He had pub- 
lished several works, tragedies, I be- 
lieve, and enjoyed a certain kind of 
literary reputation. He received me 
with the greatest affability ; and having 
heard what I had to say, he replied 
with a most captivating bow, and a 
genuine Andalusian grimace : " G o to 
my secretary ; go to my secretary — el 
hara por listed el gusto." So I went to 
the secretary, whose name was Oliban, 
an Aragonese, who was not handsome, 
and whose manners were neither ele- 
gant nor affable. " You want permis- 
sion to print the Testament ? " "1 
do," said I. " And you have come to 
his Excellency about it?" continued 
Oliban. " Very true," I replied. " I 
suppose you intend to print it without 
notes?" "Yes." "Then his Excel- 
lency cannot give you permission," 
said the Aragonese secretary. " It 
was determined by the Council of 
Trent that no part of the Scripture 
should be printed in any Christian 
country without the notes of the 
church." " How many years was 
that ago ? " I demanded. " I do not 
know how many years ago it was," 
said Oliban ; " but such was the decree 
of the Council of Trent." " Is Spain 
at present governed according to the 
decrees of the Council of Trent ? " I 
inquired. " In some points she is," 



78 



THE BIBLE 



IN SPAIN. 



[CHAP. Sill, 



answered the Aragonese, "and this is 
one. But tell me, who are you ? Are 
you known to the British minister ? " 
" O yes, and he takes a great interest 
in the matter." " Does he ? " said 
Oliban ; " that indeed alters the ease : 
if you can show me that his Excel- 
lency takes an interest in this business, 
I certainly shall not oppose myself to 
it." 

The British minister performed all 
I could wish, and much more than I 
could expect. He had an interview 
with the Duke of Rivas, with whom he 
had much discourse upon my affair : 
the duke was all smiles and courtesy. 
He moreover wrote a private letter to 
the duke, which he advised me to pre- 
sent when I next paid him a visit ; and, 
to crown all, he wrote a letter directed 
to myself, in which he did me the ho- 
nour to say, that he had a regard for 
me, and that nothing would afford him 
greater pleasure than to hear that I 
had obtained the permission which I 
was seeking. So I went to the duke, 
and delivered the letter. He was ten 
times more kind and affable than be- 
fore: he read the letter, smiled most 
sweetly, and then, as if seized with 
sudden enthusiasm, he extended his 
arms in a manner almost theatrical, 
exclaiming, " Al secretario, el liara por 
usted el gusto" Away I hurried to the 
secretary, who received me with all 
the coolness of an icicle. I related to 
him the words of his principal, and 
then put into his hand the letter of the 
British minister to myself. The secre- 
tary read it very deliberately, and then 
said that it was evident his Excellency 
" did take an interest in the matter." 
He then asked me my name, and, taking 
a sheet of paper, sat down as if for the 
purpose of writing the permission. I 
was in ecstasy. All of a sudden, how- 
ever, he stopped, lifted up his head, 
seemed to consider a moment, and then, 
putting his pen behind his ear, he said, 
" Amongst the decrees of the Council 
of Trent is one to the effect "... 



" Oh dear ! " said I. 

" A singular person is this Oliban," 
said I to Galiano ; " you cannot ima-" 
gine what trouble he gives me : he is 



continually talking about the Council 
of Trent."" 

" I wish he was in the Trent up u> 
the middle," said Galiano, who, as I 
have observed already, spoke excellent 
English ; " I wish he was there for 
talking such nonsense. However," said 
he, " we must not offend Oliban, he is 
one of us, and has done us much ser- 
vice; he is, moreover, a very clever 
man, but he is an Aragonese, and when 
one of that nation once gets an idea 
into his head, it is the most difficult 
thing in the world to dislodge .it ; how- 
ever, we will go to him. He is an old 
friend of mine, and I have no doubt 
but that we shall be able to make him 
listen to reason." So the next day I 
called upon Galiano, at his marine or 
admiralty omce (what shall I call it?), 
and from thence we proceeded to the 
bureau of the interior, a magnificent 
edifice, which had formerly been the 
casa of the Inquisition, where we had 
an interview with Oliban, whom Galiano 
took aside to the window, and there 
held with him a long conversation, 
which, as they spoke in whispers, and 
the room was immensely large, I did 
not hear. At length Galiano came to 
me, and said, " There is some difficulty 
with respect to this business of yours, 
but I have told Oliban that you are a 
friend of mine, and he says that that 
is sufficient ; remain with him now, 
and he will do anything to oblige you ; 
your affair is settled — farewell :" where- 
upon he departed, and I remained with 
Oliban, who proceeded forthwith to 
write something, which having con- 
cluded, he took out a box of cigars, and 
having lighted one and offered me an- 
other, which I declined, as I do not 
smoke, he placed his feet against the 
table, and thus proceeded to address me, 
speaking in the French language. 

" It is with great pleasure that I see 
you in this capital, and, I may say, 
upon this business. I consider it a dis- 
grace to Spain that there is no edition 
of the Gospel in circulation, at least 
such a one as would be within the reach 
of all classes of society, the highest or 
poorest ; one unencumbered with no+es 
and commentaries, human devices, swell- 
ing it to an unwieldy bulk. I have no 



CH.AP, XIII. J 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



79 



doubt that such an edition as you pro- 1 
pose to print would have a most bene- i 
ficial influence on the minds of the 
people, who, between ourselves, know j 
nothing of pure religion: how should 
they? seeing that the Gospel has al- 
ways been sedulously kept from them, 
just as if civilization could exist where 
the light of the Gospel beameth not. 
The moral regeneration of Spain de- 
pends upon the free circulation of the 
Scriptures; to which alone England, 
your own happy country, is indebted for 
its high state of civilization, and the 
unmatched prosperity which it at pre- 
sent enjoys ; all this I admit, in fact, 

reason compels me to do so, but" 

" Now for it," thought I. 
''.But" — and then he began to talk 
once more of the wearisome Council of 
Trent, and I found that his writing in 
the paper, the offer of the cigar, and the 
long and prosy harangue were — what 
shall I call it ? — mere <p\vapia. 

By this time the spring was far ad- 
vanced ; the sides, though not the tops, 
of the Guadarama hills had long since 
lost their snows : the trees of the Prado 
had donned their full foliage, and all 
the Campina in the neighbourhood of 
Madrid smiled and was happy : the 
summer heats had not commenced, and 
the weather was truly delicious. 

Towards the west, at the foot of the 
hill on which stands Madrid, is a canal 
running parallel with the Manzanares 
for some leagues, from which it is se- I 
parated by pleasant and fertile meadows. 
The banks of this canal, which was 
begun by Carlos Tercero and has never 
been completed, are planted with beau- 
tiful trees, and form the most delightful 
walk in the neighbourhood of the capi- 
tal. Here I would loiter for hours, 
looking at the shoals of gold and silver 
fish which basked on the surface of the 
green sunny waters, or listening, not to 
the warbling of birds — for Spain is not 
the land of feathered choristers — but to 
the prattle of the narangero, or man 
who sold oranges and water by a little 
deserted watch-tower just opposite the 
wooden bridge that crosses the canal, 
which situation he had chosen as fa- 
vourable for his trade, and there had 
placed his stall He was an xlsturian 



by birth, about fifty years of age, and 
about five feet high. As I purchased 
freely of bis fruit, he soon conceived a 
great friendship for me, and told me his 
history ; it contained, however, nothing 
very remarkable, the leading incident 
being an adventure which had befallen 
him amidst the mountains of Granada, 
where, failing into the hands of certain 
Gypsies, they stripped him naked, and 
then dismissed him with a sound cudgel- 
ling. u I have wandered throughout 
Spain," said he, " and I have come to 
the conclusion that there are but two 
places worth living in, Malaga and 
Madrid. At Malaga everything is 
very cheap, and there is such an abund- 
ance of fish, that I have frequently ?een 
them piled in heaps on the sea-shore ; 
and as for Madrid, money is always 
stirring at the Corte, and I never go 
supperless to bed ; my only care is to 
sell my oranges, and my only hope that 
when I die I shall be buried yonder." 

And he pointed across the Manza- 
nares, where, on the declivity of a gen- 
tle hill, at about a league's distance, 
shone brightly in the sunshine the white 
wails of the Campo Santo, or common 
burying-ground of Madrid. 

He was a fellow of infinite drollery, 
and, though he could scarcely read 
or write, by no means ignorant of the 
ways of the world: his knowledge of 
individuals was curious and extensive, 
few people passing his stall with whose 
I names, character, and history he was 
not acquainted. " Those two gentry," 
said he, pointing to a magnificently 
dressed cavalier and lady, who had dis- 
mounted from a carriage, and arm-in- 
arm were coming across the wooden 
bridge, followed by two attendants ; 
" those gentry are the Infante Francisco 
Paulo, and his wife the Neapolitana, 
sister of our Christina : he is a very 
good subject, but as for his wife — vaya 
— the veriest scold in Madrid : she can 
say carrajo with the most ill-conditioned 
carrier of La Mancha, giving the true 
emphasis and genuine pronunciation. 
Don't take off your hat to her, amigo — 
she has neither formality nor politeness 
— I once saluted her, and she took nc 
more notice of me than if J had not been 
what I am, an Asturian and a gentle- 



BO 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



[chap. XIII. 



man, of better blood than herself. Good 
day, Serior Don Francisco. Que tal 
{how goes it) ? very fine weather this — 
vaya su merced con Dios. Those three 
fellows, who just stopped to drink water, 
are great thieves, true sons of the pri- 
son ; I am always civil to them, for it 
would not do to be on ill terms ; they 
pay me or not, just as they think pro- 
per. I have been in some trouble on 
their account : about a year ago they 
robbed a man a little farther on beyond 
the second bridge. By the way, I coun- 
sel you, brother, not to go there, as I 
believe you often do ; it is a dangerous 
place. They robbed a gentleman and 
ill-treated him, but his brother, who 
was an escribano, was soon upon their 
trail, and had them arrested ; but he 
wanted some one to identify them, and 
it chanced that they had stopped to 
drink water at my stall, just as they did 
now. This the escribano heard of, and 
forthwith had me away to the prison to 
confront me with them. I knew them 
well enough, but I had learnt in my 
travels when to close my eyes and when 
to open them ; so I told the escribano 
that I could not say that I had ever 
seen them before. He was in a great 
rage, and threatened to imprison me ; I 
told him he might, and that I cared 
not. Vaya, I was not going to expose 
myself to the resentment of those three 
and to that of their friends ; I live too 
near the Hay Market for that. Good 
day, my young masters. Murcian 
oranges, as .you see ; the genuine dra- 
gon's blood. Water sweet and cold. 
Those two boys are the children of Ga- 
biria, comptroller of the queen's house- 
hold, and the richest man in Madrid ; 
they are nice boys, and buy much fruit. 
It is said their father loves them more 
than all his possessions. The old 
woman who is lying beneath yon tree 
is the Tia Lucilla ; she has committed 
murders, and as she owes me money, I 
hope one day to see her executed. This 
man was of the Walloon guard — Sen or 
Don Benito Mol, how do you do ?" 

This last-named personage instantly 
engrossed my attention ; he was a bulky 
old man, somewhat above the middle 
height, with white hair and ruddy fea- 
tures; his eyes were large and blue, 



and, whenever he fixed them on any 
one's countenance, were full of an ex- 
pression of great eagerness, as if he were 
expecting the communication of some 
important tidings. He was dressed 
commonly enough in a jacket and trou- 
sers of coarse cloth of a russet colour ; 
on his head was an immense sombrero, 
the brim of which had been much cut 
and mutilated, so as in some places to 
resemble the jags or denticles of a saw. 
He returned the salutation of the orange- 
man, and bowing to me, forthwith pro- 
duced two scented wash-balls, which he 
offered for sale, in a rough dissonant 
jargon, intended for Spanish, but which 
seemed more like the Valencian or 
Catalan. 

Upon my asking him who he was, 
the following conversation ensued be- 
tween us : 

" I am a Swiss of Lucerne, Benedict 
Mol by name, once a soldier in the 
Walloon guard, and now a soap-boiler, 
at your service." 

" You speak the language of Spain 
very imperfectly," said I ; " how long 
have you been in the country ?" 

" Forty-five years," replied Benedict ; 
" but when the guard was broken up, I 
went to Minorca, where I lost the Spa- 
nish language without acquiring the 
Catalan." 

" You have been a soldier of the king 
of Spain," said I ; " how did you like 
the service ?" 

" Not so well, but that I should have 
been glad to leave it forty years ago ; 
the pay was bad, and the treatment 
worse. I will now speak Swiss to you, 
for, if I am not much mistaken, you 
are a German man, and understand the 
speech of Lucerne. I should soon have 
deserted from the service of Spain, as I 
did from that of the Pope, whose soldier 
I was in my early youth, before I came 
here ; but I had married a woman of 
Minorca, by whom I had two children; 
it was this that detained me in those 
parts so long ; before, however, I left 
Minorca my wife died, and as for my 
children, one went east, the other west, 
and I know not what became of them. 
I intend shortly to return to Lucerne, 
and live there like a duke." 

" Have you, then realized a large 



CHAP. XII! J 



THE BIBLE 



IN SPAIN. 



81 



capital in Spain ?" said I, glancing at 
his hat and the rest of his apparel. 

" Not a cuart, not a cuart ; these two 
wash-balls are all that I possess." 

" Perhaps you are the son of good 
parents, and have lands and money in 
your own country wherewith to support 
yourself." 

" Not a heller, not a heller ; my 
father was hangman of Lucerne, and 
when he died, his body was seized to 
pay his debts." 

" Then, doubtless," said I, " you in- 
tend to ply your trade of soap-boiling 
at Lucerne. You are quite right, my 
friend, I know of no occupation more 
honourable or useful." 

" I have no thoughts of plying my 
trade at Lucerne, " replied Bennet ; 
" and now, as I see you are a German 
man, Lieber Herr, and as I like your 
countenance and your manner of speak- 
ing, I will tell you in confidence that I 
know very little of my trade, and have 
already been turned out of several fa- 
briques as an evil workman ; the two 
wash-balls that I carry in my pocket 
are not of my own making. In kurtzen, 
I know little more of soap-boiling than 
I do of tailoring, horse - farriery, or 
shoe-making, all of which I have prac- 
tised." , 

" Then I know not how you can hope 
to live like a hertzog in your native can- 
ton, unless you expect that the men of 
Lucerne, in consideration of your ser- 
vices to the Pope and to the King of 
Spain, will maintain you in splendour 
at the public expense." 

" Lieber Herr," said Benedict, " the 
men of Lucerne are by no means fond 
of maintaining the soldiers of the Pope 
and the King of Spain at their own ex- 
pense ; many of the guard wno have 
returned thither beg their bread in the 
streets, but when I go, it shall be in 
a coach drawn by six mules, with a 
treasure, a mighty schatz which lies in 
the church of Saint James of Compos- 
tella, in Galicia." 

" I hope you do not intend to rob the 
church," said I ; "if you do, however, 
I believe you will be disappointed. 
Mendizabal and the liberals have been 
beforehand with you. I am informed 
that at present no other treasure is to 



be found in the cathedrals of Spain 
than a few paltry ornaments and plated 
utensils." 

" My good German Herr," said Be- 
nedict, " it is no church schatz, and no 
person living, save myself, knows of 
its existence : nearly thirty years ago, 
amongst the sick soldiers who were 
brought to Madrid, was one of my 
comrades of the Walloon Guard, who 
had accompanied the French to Por- 
tugal; he was very sick and shortly 
died. Before, however, he breathed his 
last, he sent for me, and upon his 
death-bed told me that himself and two 
other soldiers, both of whom had since 
been killed, had buried in a certain 
church at Compostella a great booty 
which they had made in Portugal ; it 
consisted of gold moidores and of a 
packet of huge diamonds from the 
Brazils ; the whole was contained in a 
large copper kettle. I listened with 
greedy ears, and from that moment, I 
may say, I have known no rest, neither 
by day nor night, thinking of the 
schatz. It is very easy to find, for the 
dying man was so exact in his descrip- 
tion of the place where it lies, that 
were I once at Compostella, I should 
have no difficulty in putting my hand 
upon it ; several times I have been on 
the point of setting out on the journey, 
but something has always happened to 
stop me. When my wife died, I left 
Minor ca with a determination to go to 
Saint James, but on reaching Madrid, 
I fell into the hands of a Basque wo- 
man, who persuaded me to live with 
her, which I have done for several 
years ; she is a great hax*, and says 
that if I desert her she will breathe 
1 a spell which shall cling to me for 
ever. Dem Got sey dank, — she is now 
in the hospital, and daily expected 
to die. This is my history, Lieber 
Herr." 

I have been the more careful in re- 
lating the above conversation, as I shall 
have frequent occasion to mention the 
Swiss in the course of these journals ; 
his subsequent adventures were highly 
extraordinary, and the closing one 
caused a great sensation in Spain. 



* Witch. Ger. Hexe. 



CHAPTER XIV 



State of Spain— Isturitz — Revolution of the Granja — The Disturbance — Sign? of Misehir' — 
Newspaper Reporters— Quesada's Onslaught — The closing Scene— Flight of the Moderadcj 
— The Coffee Bowl. 



In the mean time the affairs of the 
moderados did not proceed in a very 
satisfactory manner; they were unpo- 
pular at Madrid, and still more so in 
the other large towns of Spain, in most 
of which juntas had been formed, 
which, taking the local administration 
into their own hands, declared them- 
selves independent of the queen and 
her ministers, and refused to pay taxes ; 
so that the government was within a 
short time reduced to great straits for 
money ; the army was unpaid, and the 
war languished ; I mean on the part of 
the Christinos, for the Carlists were 
pushing it on with considerable vigour ; 
parties of their guerillas scouring the 
country in all directions, whilst a large 
division, under the celebrated Gomez, 
was making the entire circuit of Spain. 
To crown the whole, an insurrection 
was daily expected at Madrid, to pre- 
vent which the nationals were disarmed, 
which measure tended greatly to in- 
crease their hatred against the moderado 
government, and especially against Que- 
sada, with whom it was supposed to 
have originated. 

With respect to my own matters, I 
lost no opportunity of pushing forward 
my application; the Aragonese secre- 
tary, however, still harped upon the 
Council of Trent, and succeeded in 
banting all my efforts. He appeared to 
have inoculated his principal with his 
own ideas upon this subject, for the 
duke, when he beheld me at his levees, 
took no farther notice of me than by a 
contemptuous glance ; and once, when 
I stepped up for the purpose of address- 
ing him, disappeared through, a side- 
door, and I never saw him again, for I 
was disgusted with, the treatment which 



I had received, and forbore paying any 
more visits at the Casa de la Inquisi- 
cion. Poor Galiano still proved himself 
my unshaken friend, but candidly in- 
formed me that there was no hope of 
my succeeding in the above quarter. 
" The duke," said he, " says that your 
| request cannot be granted ; and the 
j other day, when I myself mentioned it 
in the council, began to talk of the de- 
I cision of Trent, and spoke of yourself as 
| a plaguy pestilent fellow ; whereupon i 
| answered him with some acrimony, and 
i there ensued a bit of a funcion between 
us, at which Isturitz laughed heartily. 
By the by," continued he, " what need 
have you of a regular permission, which 
it does not appear that- any one has 
authority to grant ? The best thing that 
you can do under all circumstances is 
to commit the work to the press, with 
an understanding that you shall not be 
interfered with when you attempt to 
distribute it. I strongly advise you to 
see Isturitz himself upon the matter. I 
will prepare him for the interview, 
and will answer that he receives you 
civilly." 

In fact, a few days afterwards, I had 
an interview Avith Isturitz at the palace, 
and for the sake of brevity I shall con- 
tent myself with saying that I found 
him perfectly well disposed to favour 
my views. " I have lived long in 
England," said he ; " the Bible is free 
there, and I see no reason why it should 
not be free in Spain also. I am not pre- 
pared to say that England is indebted 
for her prosperity to the knowledge 
which all her children, more or less, 
possess of the sacred writings ; but of 
one thing I am sure, namely, that the 
Bible lias done no harm in that conn- 



CHAP. XIV. | 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



S3 



try, nor do I believe that it will effect 
any in Spain ; print it, therefore, by all 
means, and circulate it as extensively 
as possible." I retired, highly satis- 
tied with my interview, having ob- 
tained, if not a written permission to 
print the sacred volume, what, under 
all circumstances, I considered as 
almost equivalent, an understanding 
that my biblical pursuits would be 
tolerated in Spain ; and I had fervent 
hope that whatever was the fate of the 
present ministry, no future one, par- 
ticularly a liberal one, would venture 
to interfere with me, more especially 
as the English ambassador was my 
friend, and was privy to all the steps 
I had taken throughout the whole 
affair. 

Two or three things connected with 
the above interview with Isturitz struck 
me as being highly remarkable. First 
of all, the extreme facility with which 
I obtained admission to the presence of 
the prime minister of Spain. I had not 
to wait, or indeed to send in my name, 
but was introduced at once by the 
door-keeper. Secondly, the air of lone- 
liness which pervaded the place, so 
unlike the bustle, noise, and activity 
which I observed when I waited on 
Mendizabal. In this instance, there 
were no eager candidates for an inter- 
view with the great man; indeed, I 
did not behold a single individual, with 
the exception of Isturitz and the official. 
But that which made the most profound 
impression upon me, was the manner of 
the minister himself, who, when I 
entered, sat upon a sofa, with his arms 
folded, and his eyes directed to the 
ground. When he spoke there was 
extreme depression in the tones of his 
voice, his dark features wore an air of 
melancholy, and he exhibited all the 
appearance of a person meditating to 
escape from the miseries of this life by 
the most desperate of all acts — suicide. 

And a few days showed that he had, 
indeed, cause for much melancholy me- 
ditation : in less than a week occurred 
the revolution of the Granja, as it is 
called. The Granja, or Grange, is a 
royal country seat, situated amongst 
pine forests, on the other side of the 
Guadarama hills, about twelve leagues 



distant from Madrid. To this place 
the queen regent Christina had retired, 
in order to be aloof from the discontent 
of the capital, and to enjoy rural air 
and amusements in this celebrated re- 
treat, a monument of the taste and 
magnificence of the first Bourbon who 
ascended the throne of Spain. She was 
not, however, permitted to remain long 
in tranquillity; her own guards were 
disaffected, and more inclined to the 
principles of the constitution of 1823 
than to those of absolute monarchy, 
which the moderados were attempting 
to revive again in the government of 
Spain. Early one morning, a party of 
these soldiers, headed by a certain 
Sergeant Garcia, entered her apart- 
ment, and proposed that she should 
subscribe her hand to this constitution, 
and swear solemnly to abide by it. 
Christina, however, who was a woman 
of considerable spirit, refused to com- 
ply with this proposal, and ordered 
them to withdraw. A scene of violence 
and tumult ensued, but the regent still 
continuing firm, the soldiers at length 
led her down to one of the courts of the 
palace, where stood her well-known 
paramour, Muncs, bound and blind- 
folded. " Swear to the constitution, 
you she-rogue," vociferated the swarthy 
sergeant. " Never ! " said the spirited 
daughter of the Neapolitan Bourbons. 
" Then your cortejo shall die ! " replied 
the sergeant. " Ho ! ho ! my lads ; get 
ready your arms, and send four bullets 
through the fellow's brain." Munos 
was forthwith led to the wall, and com- 
pelled to kneel down, the soldiers 
levelled their muskets, and another 
moment would have consigned the un- 
fortunate wight to eternity, when Chris- 
tina, forgetting every thing but the 
feelings of her woman's heart, suddenly 
started forward with a shriek, exclaim- 
ing : " Hold, hold ! I sign, I sign ! " 

The day after this event I entered 
the Puerta del Sol at about noon. 
There is always a crowd there about 
this hour, but it is generally a very 
quiet motionless crowd, consisting of 
listless idlers calmly smoking their 
cigars, or listening to or retailing the 
— in general — very dull news of the 
capital ; but on the day of which I am 

G 2 



84 



THE BIBLE IN SPAiN. 



[ CKAP. XIV. 



speaking, the mass was no longer inert. 
There was much gesticulation and vo- 
ciferation, and several people were 
running about shouting, " Viva la con- 
st line ion I" — a cry which, a few days 
previously, would have been visited on 
the utterer with death, the city having 
for some weeks past been subjected to 
the rigour of martial law. I occasion- 
ally heard the words, "La Granja! 
La Granja ! " which words were sure 
to be succeeded by the shout of " Viva 
la constitution I " Opposite the Casa 
de Postas were drawn up in a line 
about a dozen mounted dragoons, some 
of whom were continually waving their 
caps in the air and joining the com- 
mon cry, in which they were encou- 
raged by their commander, a hand- 
some young officer, who nourished his 
sword, and more than once cried out 
with great glee, " Long live the con- 
stitutional queen ! Long live the con- 
stitution ! " 

The crowd was rapidly increasing, 
and several nationals made their ap- 
pearance in their uniforms, but with- 
out their arms, of which they had been 
deprived, as I have already stated. 
u What has become of the moderado 
government ? " said I to Baltasar,whom 
I suddenly observed amongst the crowd, 
dressed as when I had first seen him, 
in his old regimental great coat and 
foraging cap ; " have the ministers 
been deposed and others put in their 
place ? " 

" Not yet, Don Jorge," said the little 
soldier-tailor ; " not yet ; the scoundrels 
still hold out, relying on the brute bull 
Quesada and a few infantry, who still 
continue true to them ; but there is no 
fear, Don Jorge; the queen is ours, 
thanks to the courage of my friend 
Garcia, and if the brute bull should 
make his appearance — ho ! ho ! Don 
Jorge, you shall see something — I am 
prepared for him, ho ! ho ! " and there- 
upon he half opened his great coat, and 
showed me a small gun which he bore 
beneath it in a sling, and then moving 
away with a wink and a nod. disap- 
peared amongst the crowd. 

Presently 1 perceived a small body 
of soldiers advancing up the Calle 
Mayor, or principal street which runs 



from the Puertadel Sol in the direction 
of the palace : they might be about 
twenty in number, and an officer 
marched at their head with a drawn 
sword ; the men appeared to have been 
collected in a hurry, many of them 
being in fatigue dress, with foraging 
caps on their heads. On they came, 
slowly marching ; neither their officer 
nor themselves paying the slightest 
attention to the cries of the crowd 
which thronged about them, shouting 
" Long live the constitution ! " save 
and except by an occasional surly side 
glance : on they marched with con- 
tracted brows and set teeth, till they 
came in front of the cavalry, where 
they halted and drew up in rank. 

" Those men mean mischief," said 

I to my friend D , of the * Morning 

Chronicle,' who at this moment joined 
me ; " and depend upon it, that if they 
are ordered they will commence firing, 
caring nothing whom they hit, — but 
what can those cavalry fellows behind 
them mean, who are evidently of the 
other opinion by their shouting ; why 
don't they charge at once this handful 
of foot people and overturn them? 
Once down, the crowd would wrest 
from them their muskets in a moment. 
You are a liberal, which I am not ; 
why do you not go to that silly young 
man who commands the horse and give 
him a word of counsel in time ? " 

D turned upon me his broad 

red good-humoured English counte- 
nance, with a peculiarly arch look, as 
much as to say, (what- 
ever you think most applicable, gentle 
reader), then taking me by the arm, 
" Let us get," said he, " out of this 
crowd and mount to some window, 
where I can write down what is about 
to take place, for I agree with you that 
mischief is meant." Just opposite the 
post-office was a large house, in the top- 
most story of which we beheld a papei 
displayed, importing that apartments 
were to let; whereupon we instantly 
ascended the common stair, and having 
agreed with the mistress of the etage 
for the use of the front room for the 
day, we bolted the door, and the re- 
porter, producing his pocket-book and 
pencil, prepared to take notes of th*. 



CHAP. XIV.] 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



coming events, which were already 
casting their shadow before. 

What most extraordinary men are 
these reporters of newspapers in gene- 
ral, I mean English newspapers ! 
Surely if there be any class of indi- 
viduals who are entitled to the appel- 
lation of cosmopolites, it is these ; who 
pursue their avocation in all countries 
indifferently, and accommodate them- 
selves at will to the manners of all 
classes of society : their fluency of 
style as writers is only surpassed by 
their facility of language in conversa- 
tion, and their attainments in classical 
and polite literature only by their pro- 
found knowledge of the world, acquired 
by an early introduction into its bust- 
ling scenes. The activity, energy, and 
courage which they occasionally display 
in the pursuit of information, are truly 
remarkable. I saw them during the 
three days at Paris, mingled with ca- 
naille and gamins behind the barriers, 
whilst the mitraille was flying in all 
directions, and the desperate cuirassiers 
were dashing their fierce horses against 
these seemingly feeble bulwarks. There 
stood they, dotting down their observa- 
tions in their pocket-books as uncon- 
cernedly as if reporting the proceedings 
of a reform meeting in Ccvent Garden 
or Finsbury Square ; whilst in Spain, 
several of them accompanied the Carlist 
and Christino guerillas in some of their 
most desperate raids and expeditions, 
exposing themselves to the danger of 
hostile bullets, the inclemency of win- 
ter, and the fierce heat of the summer 
sun. 

We had scarcely been five minutes at 
the window, when we suddenly heard 
the clattering of horses' feet hastening 
down the street called the Calie de 
Carretas. The house in which we had 
stationed ourselves was, as I have al- 
ready observed, just opposite to the 
post-office, at the left of which this 
street debouches from the north into 
the Puerta del Sol : as the sounds be- 
came louder and louder, the cries of 
the crowd below diminished, and a 
species of panic seemed to have fallen 
upon all : once or twice, however, I 
could distinguish the words " Quesada ! 
Quesada ! " The foot soldiers stood 



calm* and motionless, but I observed 
that the cavalry, with the young officer 
who commanded them, displayed both 
confusion and fear, exchanging with 
each other some hurried words ; all of 
a sudden that part of the crowd which 
stood near the mouth of the Calle de 
Carretas fell back in great disorder, 
leaving a considerable space unoccu- 
pied, and the next moment Quesada, 
in complete general's uniform, and 
mounted on a bright bay thorough-bred 
English horse, with a drawn sword in 
his hand, dashed at full gallop into the 
area, in much the same manner as I 
have seen a Manchegan bull rush into 
the amphitheatre when the gates of his 
pen are suddenly flung open. 

He was closely followed by two 
mounted officers, and at a short dis- 
tance by as many dragoons. In almost 
less time than is sufficient to relate it, 
several individuals in the crowd were 
knocked down and lay sprawling upon 
the ground, beneath the horses of Que- 
sada and his two friends, for as to the 
dragoons, they halted as soon as they 
had entered the Puerta del Sol. It 
was a fine sight to see three men, by 
dint of valour and good horsemanship, 
strike terror into at least as many 
thousands : I saw Quesada spur his 
horse repeatedly into the dense masses 
of the crowd, and then extricate him- 
self in the most masterly manner. The 
rabble were completely awed, and gave 
way, retiring by the Calle del Comercio 
and the street of Alcala. All at once, 
Quesada singled out two nationals, who 
were attempting to escape, and setting 
spurs to his horse, turned them in a 
moment, and drove them in another 
direction, striking them in a contemp- 
tuous manner with the Sat of his sabre. 
He was crying out, " Long live the 
absolute queen ! " when, just beneath 
me, amidst a portion of the crowd 
which had still maintained its ground, 
perhaps from not having the means of 
escaping, I saw a small gun glitter for 
a moment, then there was a sharp re- 
port, and a bullet had nearly sent Que- 
sada to his long account, passing so 
near to the countenance of the general 
as to graze his hat. I had an indistinct 
view for a moment of a well-known 



86 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



[CHAP. XIV. 



foraging cap just about the spot from 
whence the gun had been discharged, 
then there was a rush of the crowd, 
and the shooter, whoever he was, es- 
caped discovery amidst the confusion 
which arose. 

As for Quesada, he seemed to treat 
the danger from which he had escaped 
with the utmost contempt. He glared 
about him fiercely for a moment, then 
leaving the two nationals, who sneaked 
away like whipped hounds, he went 
up to the young officer who commanded 
the cavalry, and who had been active 
in raising the cry of the constitution, 
and to him he addressed a few words 
with an air of stern menace ; the youth 
evidently quailed before him, and pro- 
bably in obedience to his orders, re- 
signed the command of the party, and 
rode slowly away with a discomfited 
air : whereupon Quesada dismounted 
and w r alked slowly backwards and for- 
wards before the Casa de Postas with a 
mien which seemed to bid defiance to 
mankind. 

This was the glorious day of Quesa- 
da' s existence, his glorious and last day. 
I call it the day of his glory, for he 
certainly never before appeared under 
such brilliant circumstances, and he 
never lived to see another sun set. No 
action of any conqueror or hero on 
record, is to be compared with this 
closing scene of the life of Quesada, for 
who, by his single desperate courage 
and impetuosity, ever before stopped a 
revolution in full course? Quesada 
did : he stopped the revolution at Ma- 
drid for one entire day, and brought 
back the uproarious and hostile mob of 
a huge city to p?rfect order and quiet. 
His burst into the Puerta del Sol was 
the most tremendous and successful 
piece of daring ever witnessed. I ad- 
mired so much the spirit of the "brute 
bull " that I frequently, during his wild 
onset, shouted " Viva Quesada ! " for 
I wished him well. Not that I am of 
ani} political party or system. No, no ! 
I have lived too long with Rommany 
Chals and Petulengres * to be of any 

* A compound of the modern. Greek 
nWaKov, and the Sanscrit ham, the literal 
meaning being Lard of the horse-shoe (i.e. 
maker) ; it is one of the private coynomi- 



politics save Gypsy politics ; and it is 
well known that, during elections, the 
children of Pom a side with both par- 
ties so long as the event is doubtful, 
promising success to each; and then 
when the fight is done, and the battle 
won, invariably range themselves in 
the ranks of the victorious. But I re- 
peat that 1 wished well to Quesada, 
witnessing, as I did, his stout heart and 
good horsemanship. Tranquillity was 
restored to Madrid throughout the re- 
mainder of the day; the handful of in- 
fantry bivouacked in the Puerta del 
Sol. Xo more cries of long live the 
constitution w r ere heard ; and the revo- 
lution in the capital seemed to have 
been effectually put down. It is pro- 
bable, indeed, that had the chiefs of the 
moderado party but continued true to 
themselves for forty-eight hours longer, 
their cause would have triumphed, and 
the revolutionary soldiers at the Granja 
would have been glad to restore the 
Queen Regent to liberty, and to have 
com.? to terms, as it was well known that 
several regiments, who still continued 
loyal, were marching upon Madrid. 
, The moderados, however, were not 
i true to themselves; that very night 
their hearts failed them, and they fled 
in various directions. Isturitz and Ga- 
liano to France ; and the Duke of Rivas 
to Gibraltar : the panic of his col- 
leagues even infected Quesada, who, 
disguised as a civilian, took to flight. 
He was not, however, so successful as 
the rest, but was recognised at a village 
about three leagues from Madrid, and 
cast into the prison by some mends of 
the constitution. Intelligence of his 
capture was instantly transmitted to 
the capital, and a vast mob of the na- 
tionals, some on foot, some on horse- 
back, and others in cabriolets, instantly 
set out. " The nationals are coming," 
said a paisano to Quesada. " Then," 
said he, li l am lost," and forthwith 
prepared himself for death. 

There is a celebrated coffee-house in 
the Calle d'Alcala, at Madrid, capable 
of holding several hundred individuals. 
On the evening of the day in question, 



rations of "The Smiths,'' an English Gypsj 
clan. 



chap, xiv.] THE BIBLE 

I was seated there, sipping a cup of the 
brown beverage, when I heard a pro- 
digious noise and clamour in the street ; 
it proceeded from the nationals, who 
were returning from their expedition, 
[n a few minutes I saw a body of them 
enter the coffee-house, marching arm in 
arm, two by two, stamping on the 
ground with their feet in a kind of 
measure, and repeating in loud chorus, 
as they walked round the spacious 
apartment, the following grisly stan- 
za :— 

" Que es lo que abaja 
Por aquel cerro ? 
Ta ra ra ra ra. 
Son los huesos de Quesada, 
Que los trae un perro — 
Ta ra ra ra ra."* 

A huge bowl of coffee was then called 
for, which was placed upon a table, 
around which gathered the national 
soldiers: there was silence for a mo- 
ment, which was interrupted by a voice 
roaring out, " el panuelo!" A blue 



* Of these lines the following translation, 
in the style of the old English ballad, will, 
perhaps, not he unacceptable : 

What down the hill comes hurrying there ? — 
With a hey, with a ho, a sword and a gun ! 

'^uesada's bones, which a hound doth bear. — 
Kurrah, brav<» brothers ! — the work is done. 



IN SPAIN, 87 



kerchief was forthwith produced, which 
appeared to contain a substance of 
some kind ; it was untied, and a gory 
hand and three or four dissevered fin- 
gers made their appearance, and with 
these the contents of the bowl were 
stirred up. " Cups ! cups ! " cried the 

nationals 

" Ho, ho, Don Jorge," cried Baltasa- 
rito, coming up to me with a cup of 
coffee, " pray do me the favour to 
drink upon this glorious occasion. This 
is a pleasant day for Spain, and for the 
gallant nationals of Madrid. 1 have 
seen many a bull funcion, but none 
which has given me so much pleasure 
as this. Yesterday the brute had it all 
his own way, but to-day the toreros 
have prevailed, as you see, Don Jorge. 
Pray drink ; for I must now run home 
to fetch my pajandi to play my bre- 
thren a tune, and sing a copla. What 
shall it be ? Something in Gitano ? 

* Una noche sinava en tucue.' 

You shake your head, Don Jorge. Ha, 
ha ; I am young, and youth is the time 
for pleasure : well, well, out of compli- 
ment to you, who are an Englishman 
and a monro, it shall not be that, but 
something liberal, something patriotic, 
the Hymn of Riego — Hasta despues, 
Don Jorge ! " 



!_ ss ] 



CHAPTER XV. 

The Steamer — Cape Finisterre — The Storm — Arrival at Cadiz — The New Testament — Se\ill* 
— Italica— The Amphitheatre — The Prisoners — The Encounter — Baron Taylor — The Street 
and Desert. 



At the commencement of November I 
again found myself on the salt water, 
on my way to Spain. I had returned 
to England shortly after the events 
which have been narrated in the last 
chapter, for the purpose of consulting 
with my friends, and for planning the 
opening of a biblical campaign in Spain. 
It was now determined by us to print 
the New Testament, with as little delay 
as possible, at Madrid ; and I was to be 
entrusted with the somewhat arduous 
task of its distribution. My stay in 
England was very short, for time was 
precious, and I was eager to return to 
the field of action. 

I embarked in the Thames, on board 

the M steamer. We had a most 

unpleasant passage to Falmouth ; the 
ship was crowded with passengers, most 
of them were poor consumptive indi- 
viduals, and other invalids fleeing from 
the cold blasts of England's winter 
to the sunny shores of Portugal and 
Madeira. In a more uncomfortable 
vessel, especially steam ship, it has 
never been my fate to make a voyage. 
The berths were small and insupport- 
ably close, and of these wretched holes 
mine was amongst the worst, the rest 
having been bespoken before I arrived 
on board : so that, to avoid the suffo- 
cation which seemed to threaten me, 
should I enter it, I lay upon the floor 
of one of the cabins throughout the 
voyage. We remained at Falmouth 
twenty-four hours, taking m coal and 
repairing the engine, which had sus- 
tained considerable damage. 

On Monday, the 7th, we again started, 
and made for the Bay of Biscay. The 
sea was high, and the wind strong and 
contrary ; nevertheless, on the morning 
of the fourth day, we were in sight of 



the rocky coast to the north of Cape 
Finisterre. I must here observe, that 
this was the first voyage that the cap- 
tain who commanded the vessel had 
ever made on board of her, and that he 
knew little or nothing of the coast 
towards which we were bearing. He 
was a person picked up in a hurry, the 
former captain having resigned his 
command on the ground that the ship 
was not seaworthy, and that the en- 
gines were frequently unserviceable. I 
was not acquainted with these circum- 
stances at the time, or perhaps I should 
have 'felt more alarmed than I did, 
when I saw the vessel approaching 
nearer and nearer the shore, till at 
last we were only a few hundred yards 
distant. As it was, however, I felt 
very much surprised ; for having passed 
it twice before, both times in steam- 
vessels, and having seen with what care 
the captains endeavoured to maintain a 
wide ofhng, I could not conceive the 
reason of our being now so near this 
dangerous region. The wind was 
blowing hard towards the shore, if that 
can be called a shore which consists of 
steep abrupt precipices, on which the 
surf was breaking with the noise of 
thunder, tossing up clouds of spray and 
foam to the height of a cathedral. We 
coasted slowly along, rounding several 
tall forelands, some of them piled up by 
the hand of nature in the most fantastic 
shapes. About nightfall Cape Finis- 
terre was not far a-head, — a bluff, 
brown, granite mountain, whose frown- 
ing head may be seen far away by those 
who traverse the ocean. The stream 
which poured round its breast was ter- 
rific, and though our engines plied with 
all their force, we made little or no 
way. 



CHAP. XT'.} 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



89 



By about eight o'clock at night the 
wind had increased to a hurricane, the 
thunder rolled frightfully, and the only 
light which we had to guide us on our 
way was the red forked lightning, 
which burst at times from the bosom 
of the big black clouds which lowered 
over our heads. We were exerting 
ourselves to the utmost to weather the 
cape, which we could descry by the 
lightning on our lee, its brow being fre- 
quently brilliantly lighted up by the 
flashes which quivered around it, when 
suddenly, with a great crash, the engine 
broke, and the paddles, on which de- 
pended our lives, ceased to play. 

I will not attempt to depict the scene 
of horror and confusion which ensued ; 
it may be imagined, but never described. 
The captain, to give him his due, dis- 
played the utmost coolness and intre- 
pidity: he and the whole crew made 
the greatest exertions to repair the en- 
gine, and when they found their labour 
in vain, endeavoured, by hoisting the 
sails, and by practising all possible 
manoeuvres, to preserve the ship from 
impending destruction ; but all was of 
no avail, we were hard on a lee shore, 
to which the howling tempest was im- 
pelling us. About this time I was 
standing near the helm, and I asked 
the steersman if there was any hope of 
saving the vessel, or our lives. He re- 
plied, " Sir, it is a bad affair, no boat 
could live for a minute in this sea, and 
in less than an hour the ship will have 
her broadside on Finisterre, where the 
strongest man-of-war ever built must 
go to shivers instantly — none of us will 
see the morning." The captain like- 
wise informed the other passengers in 
the cabin to the same effect, telling 
them to prepare themselves ; and having 
done so, he ordered the door to be fast- 
ened, and none to be permitted to come 
on deck. I however kept my station, 
though alifiost drowned with water, 
immense waves continually breaking 
over our windward side, and flooding 
the ship. The water-casks broke from 
their lashings, and one of them struck 
me down, and crushed the foot of the 
unfortunate man at the helm, whose 
place was instantly taken by the captain. 
We w r ere now close to the rocks, when 



a horrid convulsion of the elements took 
place. The lightning enveloped us as 
with a mantle ; the thunders were louder 
than the roar of a million cannon ; th« 
dregs of the ocean seemed to be cast up, 
and in the midst of all this turmoil, the 
wind, without the slightest intimation, 
veered right about, and pushed us from 
the horrible coast faster than it had 
previously driven us towards it. 

The oldest sailors on board acknow- 
ledged that they had never witnessed so 
providential an escape. I said, from 
the bottom of my heart, " Our Father 
— hallowed be thy name." 

The next day we were near founder- 
ing, for the sea was exceedingly high, 
and our vessel, which was not intended 
for sailing, laboured terribly, and leaked 
much. The pumps were continually 
working. She likewise took fire, but 
the flames were extinguished. In the 
evening the steam-engine was partially 
repaired, and we reached Lisbon on the 
13th, where in a few days we completed 
our repairs. 

I found my excellent friend W 

in good health. During my absence 
he had been doing everything in his 
power to further the sale of the sacred 
volume in Portuguese : his zeal and de- 
votedness were quite admirable. The 
distracted state of the country, however, 
during the last six months, had sadly 
impeded his efforts. The minds of the 
people had been so engrossed with poli- 
tics, that they found scarcely any time 
to think of the welfare of their souls. 
The political history of Portugal had of 
late afforded a striking parallel to that 
of the neighbouring country. In both 
a struggle for supremacy had arisen 
between the court and the democratic 
party ; in both the latter had triumphed, 
whilst two distinguished individuals 
had fallen a sacrifice to the popular 
fury — Freire in Portugal, and Quesada 
in Spain. The news which reached 
me at Lisbon from the latter country 
was rather startling. The hordes of 
Gomez were ravaging Andalusia, which 
I was about to visit on my way to 
Madrid ; Cordova had been sacked and 
abandoned, after a three days' occupa- 
tion by the Carlists. I was told that 
if I persisted in my attempt to enter 



30 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



[CHAP. XV 



Spain in the direction "which I pro- 
posed, I should probably fall into their 
hands at Seville. I had, however, no 
fears, and had full confidence that the 
Lord would open the path before me to 
Madrid. 

The vessel being repaired, we again 
embarked, and in two days arrived in 
safety at Cadiz. I found great con- 
fusion reigning there ; numerous bands 
of the factious were reported to be 
hoveling in the neighbourhood. An 
attack was not deemed improbable, and 
the place had just been declared in a 
state of siege. I took up my abode at 
the French hotel, in the Calle de la 
Niveria, and was allotted a species of 
cockloft, or garret, to sleep in, for the 
house was filled with guests, being a 
place of much resort, on account of the 
excellent table d'hote which is kept 
there. I dressed myself, and walked 
about the town. I entered several 
coffee-houses : the din of tongues in all 
was deafening. In one no less than six 
orators were harano-uinff at the same 
time on the state of the country, and 
the probability of an intervention on 
the part of England and France. As I 
was listening to one of them, he sud- 
denly called upon me for my opinion, 
as I was a foreigner, and seemingly just 
arrived. I replied that I could not 
venture to guess what steps the two 
governments would pursue under the 
present circumstances, but thought that 
it would be as well if the Spaniards 
would exert themselves more, and call 
less on Jupiter. As I did not wish to 
engage in any political conversation, I 
instantly quitted the house, and sought 
those parts of the town where the lower 
classes principally reside. 

I entered into discourse with several 
individuals, but found them very igno- 
rant ; none could read or write, and 
their ideas respecting religion were any- 
thing but satisfactory — most professing 
a perfect indifference. I afterwards 
went into a bookseller's shop, and made 
inquiries respecting the demand for 
literature, which he informed me was 
small. I produced a London edition of 
the New Testament in Spanish, and 
asked the bookseller whether he thought 
a book of that description would sell in 



Cadiz. He said that both the type and 
paper were exceedingly beautiful, but 
that it was a work not sought after, 
and very little known. I did not pur- 
j sue my inquiries in other shops, for 1 
reflected that I was not likely to receive a 
very favourable opinion from booksellers 
respecting a publication in which they 
had no interest. I had, moreover, but 
two or three copies of the New Testa- 
ment with me, and could not have sup- 
plied them, had they even given me an 
order. 

Early on the 24th I embarked for 
Seville, in the small Spanish steamer 
" The Betis." The morning was wet 
and the aspect of nature was enveloped 
in a dense mist, which prevented my 
observing surrounding objects. After 
proceeding about six leagues, we reached 
the north-eastern extremity of the Bay 
of Cadiz, and passed by Saint Lucar, 
an ancient town near to the spot where 
the Guadalquivir disembogues itself. 
The mist suddenly disappeared, and the 
sun of Spain burst forth in full bril- 
liancy, enlivening all around, and par- 
ticularly myself, who had till then been 
lying on the deck in a dull melancholy 
stupor. We entered the mouth of " The 
Great River," for that is the English 
translation of Oued al Kiber, as the 
Moors designated the ancient Betis. 
We came to anchor for a few minutes 
at a little village called Bonanca, at the 
extremity of the first reach of the river, 
where we received several passengers, 
and again proceeded. There is not 
much in the appearance of the Guadal- 
quivir to interest the traveller : the 
banks are low, and destitute of trees, 
the adjacent country is flat, and only 
in the distance is seen a range of tall 
blue sierras. The water is turbid and 
muddy, and in colour closely resembling 
the contents of a duck-pool ; the average 
width of the stream is from a hundred 
and fifty to two hundred yards, but it 
is impossible to move along this river 
without remembering that it has borne 
the Roman, the Vandal, and the Arab, 
and has been the witness of deeds which 
have resounded through the world, and 
been the themes of immortal songs. I 
repeated Latin verses and fragments of 
| old Spanish ballads till we reached 



CHAP. XV. 1 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



91 



Seville, at about nine o'clock of a lovely 
moonlight night. 

Seville contains ninety thousand in- 
habitants, and is situated on the eastern 
bank of the Guadalquivir, about eigh- 
teen leagues from its mouth ; it is sur- 
rounded with high Moorish walls, in a 
good state of preservation, and built of 
such durable materials that it is probable 
they will for many centuries still bid 
defiance to the encroachments of time. 
The most remarkable edifices are the 
cathedral and alcazar, or palace of the 
Moorish kings ; the tower of the former, 
called La Giralda, belongs to the period 
of the Moors, and formed part of the 
grand mosque of Seville : it is computed 
to be one hundred ells in height, and is 
ascended not by stairs or ladders, but 
by a vaulted pathway, in the manner of 
an inclined plane : this path is by no 
means steep, so that a cavalier might 
ride up to the top, a feat which Fer- 
dinand the Seventh is said to have 
accomplished. The view from the sum- 
mit is very extensive, and on a fine 
clear day the mountain ridge called the 
Sierra de Eonda may be discovered, 
though upwards of twenty leagues dis- 
tant. The cathedral itself is a noble 
Gothic structure, reputed the finest of 
the kind in Spain. In the chapels 
allotted to the various saints are some 
of the most magnificent paintings which 
Spanish art has produced; indeed the 
Cathedral of Seville is at the present 
time far more rich in splendid paint- 
ings than at any former period, pos- 
sessing many very recently removed 
from some of the suppressed convents, 
particularly from the Capuchin and 
San Francisco. 

No one should visit Seville without 
paying particular attention to the Alca- 
zar, that splendid specimen of Moorish 
architecture. It contains many magni- 
ficent halls, particularly that of the am- 
bassadors, so called, which is in every 
respect more magnificent than the one 
of the same name within the Alham- 
bra of Granada. This palace was a 
favourite residence of Peter the Cruel, 
who carefully repaired it without alter- 
ing its Moorish character and appear- 
ance. It probably remains in much the 
same state as at the time of his death. 



On the right side of the river is a 
large suburb, called Triana, communi- 
cating with Seville by means of a 
bridge of boats ; for there is no per - 
manent bridge across the Guadalquivir, 
owing to the violent inundations to 
which it is subject. This suburb is 
inhabited by the dregs of the populace, 
and abounds with Gitanos or Gypsies. 
About a league and a half to the north- 
west stands the village of Santo Ponce : 
at the foot and on the side of some ele- 
vated ground higher up are to be seen 
vestiges of ruined walls and edifices, 
which once formed part of Italica, the 
birth-place of Silius Italicus and Tra- 
jan, from which latter personage Triana 
derives its name. 

One fine morning I walked thither, 
and, having ascended the hill, I directed 
my course northward. I soon reached 
what had once been bagnios ; and a little 
farther on, in a kind of valley, between 
two gentle declivities, the amphitheatre. 
This latter object is by far the most con- 
siderable relic of ancient Italica ; it is 
oval in its form, with two gateways 
fronting the east and west. 

On all sides are to be seen the time 
worn broken granite benches, from 
whence myriads of human beings once 
gazed down on the area below, where 
the gladiator shouted, and the lion and 
the leopard yelled : all around, beneath 
these flights of benches, are vaulted ex- 
cavations from whence the combatants, 
part human, part bestial, darted forth by 
their several doors. I spent many hours 
in this singular place, forcing my way 
through the wild fennel and brushwood 
into the caverns, now the haunts of ad- 
ders and other reptiles, whose hissings 
I heard. Having sated my curiosity, I 
left the ruins, and, returning by another 
way, reached a place where lay the car- 
cass of a horse half devoured ; upon it, 
with lustrous eyes, stood an enormous 
vulture, who, as I approached, slowjy 
soared aloft till he alighted on the east- 
ern gate of the amphitheatre, from 
whence he uttered a hoarse cry, as if in 
anger that I had disturbed him from 
his feast of carrion. 

Gomez had not hitherto paid a visit 
to Seville : when I arrived he was said 
to be in the neighbourhood c f Ronda, 



92 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



[chap. XV 



The city was under watch and ward : 
several gates had been blocked up with 
masonry, trenches dug, and redoubts 
erected; but I am convinced that the 
place would not have held out six hours 
against a resolute attack. Gomez had 
proved himself to be a most extraordi- 
nary man; and with his small army of 
Aragonese and Basques had, within the 
last four months, made the tour of Spain. 
He had very frequently been hemmed 
in by forces three times the number of 
his own, in places whence escape ap- 
peared impossible ; but he had always 
baffled his enemies, whom he seemed to 
laugh at. The most absurd accounts of 
victories gained over him were conti- 
nually issuing from the press at Seville ; 
amongst others, it was stated that his 
army had been utterly defeated, himself 
killed, and that twelve hundred prison- 
ers were on their way to Seville. I saw 
these prisoners : instead of twelve hun- 
dred desperadoes, they consisted of about 
twenty poor, lame, ragged wretches, 
many of them boys from fourteen to 
sixteen years of age. They were evi- 
dently camp-followers, who, unable to 
keep up with the army, had been picked 
up strangling in the plains and amongst 
the hills" 

It subsequently appeared that no bat- 
tle had occurred, and that the death of 
Gomez was a fiction. The grand de- 
fect of Gomez consisted in not knowing 
how to take advantage of circum- 
stances : after defeating Lope" 7 , he 
might have marched to Madrid and 
proclaimed Don Carlos there: and 
after sacking Cordova he might have 
captured Seville. 

There were several booksellers' shops 
at Seville, in two of which I found co- 
pies of the Xew Testament in Spanish, 
which had been obtained from Gib- 
raltar about two years before, since 
which time six copies had been sold in 
one shop and four in the other. The 
person who generally accompanied me 
in my walks about the town and the 
neighbourhood, was an elderly Genoese, 
who officiated as a kind of valet de place 
m the Posada del Turco, where I had 
taken up my residence. On learning 
from me that it was my intention to 
bring om an edition of the Xew Testa- 



ment at Madrid, he observed that co- 
pies of the work might be extensively 
circulated in Andalusia. " I have been 
accustomed to bookselling," he conti- 
nued ; " and at one time possessed a 
small shop of my own in this place. 
Once having occasion to go to Gib- 
raltar, I procured several copies of the 
Scriptures : some, it is true, were seized 
by the officers of the customs : but the 
rest I sold at a high price, and with 
considerable profit to myself." 

I had returned from a walk in the 
country, on a glorious sunshiny morn- 
ing of the Andalusian winter, and was 
directing my steps towards my lodg- 
ing : as I was passing by the portal of 
a large gloomy house near the gate of 
Xeres, two individuals, dressed in zra- 
marras, emerged from the archway, 
and were about to cross my path, when 
one, looking in my face, suddenly 
started back, exclaiming in the purest 
and most melodious French :— " What 
do I see ? If my eyes do not deceive 
me — it is himself. Yes, the very same 
as I saw him first at Bayonne ; then 
long subsequently beneath the brick 
wall at Xovogorod; then beside the 
Bosphorus; and last at — at — Oh, my 
respectable and cherished friend, where 
was it that I had last the felicity of see- 
ing your well-remembered and most re- 
markable physiognomy ?" 

Myself. — It was in the south of Ire- 
land, if I mistake not. Was it not 
there that I introduced you to the sor- 
cerer who tamed the savage horses by 
i a single Avhisper into their ear? But 
tell me what brings you to Spain and 
Andalusia, the last place where I should 
have expected to find you ? 

Baron Taylor. — And wherefore, my 
most respectable B ***** ? Is not 
Spain the land of the arts ; and is not 
Andalusia of all Spain that portion 
which has produced the noblest monu- 
ments of artistic excellence and inspira- 
tion ? Surely you know enough of me 
to be aware that the arts are my pas- 
sion: that I am incapable of imagining 
a more exalted enjoyment than to gaze 
in adoration on a noble picture. 0 
come with me ! for you too nave a soul 
capable of appreciating what is lovely 
and exalted : a soul delicate and sensi- 



CHAP. XV. j 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN.. 



93 



tive. Come with me, arid I will show 

you a Murillo, such as But 

first allow me to introduce you to your 
compatriot. My dear Monsieur W., 
turning to his companion (an English 
gentleman, from whom and from his 
family I subsequently experienced un- 
bounded kindness and hospitality on 
various occasions, and at different pe- 
riods at Seville), allow me to introduce 
to you my most cherished and respect- 
able friend, one who is better acquainted 
with Gypsy ways than the Chef des 
Bohemiens a Triana, one who is an ex- 
pert whisperer and horse-sorcerer ; and 
who, *o his honour I say it, can wield 
hammer and tongs, and handle a horse- 
shoe with the best of the smiths amongst 
the Alpuj arras of Granada. 

In tiie course of my travels I have 
formed various friendships and ac- 
quaintances ; but no one has more inte- 
rested me than Baron Taylor, and there 
is no one for whom I entertain a greater 
esteem and regard. To personal and 
mental accomplishments of the highest 
order he unites a kindness of heart 
rarely to be met with, and which is 
continually inducing him to seek for 
opportunities of doing good to his fel- 
low-creatures, and of contributing to 
their happiness ; perhaps no person in 
existence has seen more of the world 
and life in its various phases than him- 
self. His manners are naturally to the 
highest degree courtly, yet he neverthe- 
less possesses a disposition so pliable 
that he finds no difficulty in accommo- 
dating himself to all kinds of company, 
— in consequence of which he is a uni- 
versal favourite. There is a mystery 
about him, which, wherever he goes, 
serves not a little to increase the sensa- 



tion naturally created by his appearance 
and manner. Who he is, no one pre- 
tends to assert with downright positive- 
ness : it is whispered, however, that he 
is a scion of royalty ; and who can gaze 
for a moment upon that most graceful 
figure, that most intelligent but singu- 
larly moulded countenance, and those 
large and expressive eyes, without feel- 
ing as equally convinced that he is of 
no common lineage, as that he is no 
common man? Though possessed of 
talents and eloquence which would 
speedily have enabled him to attain to 
an illustrious position in the state, he 
has hitherto, and perhaps wisely, con- 
tented himself with comparative ob- 
scurity, chiefly devoting himself to the 
study of the arts and of literature, of 
both of which he is a most bounteous 
patron. 

He has, notwithstanding, been em- 
ployed by the illustrious house to which 
he is said to be related in more than 
one delicate and important mission, both 
in the East and the West, in which his 
efforts have uniformly been crowned 
with complete success. He was now 
collecting masterpieces of the Spanish 
school of painting, which were destined 
to adorn the saloons of the Tuilleries. 

He has visited most portions of the 
earth ; and it is remarkable enough 
that we are continually encountering 
each other in strange places and under 
singular circumstances. Whenever he 
descries me, whether in the street or 
the desert, the brilliant hall or amongst 
Bedouin haimas, at Novogorod or Stam- 
bul, he flings up his arms and exclaims, 
" O ciel ! I have again the felicity of 
seeing my cherished and most respecta- 
ble B * * * * 



I 94 J 



CHAPTER XVI. 



Departure for Cordova — Carmona — German Colonies — Language — The Sluggish Horse — Nor. 
turnal Welcome — Carlist Landlord— Good Advice — Gomez — The Old Genoese — The Two 
Opinions. 



After a sojourn of about fourteen days 
at Seville, 1 departed for Cordova. The 
diligence had for some time past ceased 
running, owing to the disturbed state of 
the province. I had therefore no re- 
source but to proceed thither on horse- 
back. I hired a couple of horses, and 
engaged the old Genoese, of whom I 
have already had occasion to speak, to 
attend me as far as Cordova, and to 
bring them back. Notwithstanding we 
were now in the depths of winter, the 
weather was beautiful, the days sunny 
and brilliant, though the nights were 
rather keen. We passed by the little 
town of Alcala, celebrated for the ruins 
of an immense Moorish castle, which 
stand on a rocky hill, overhanging a 
picturesque river. The first night we 
slept at Carmona, another Moorish 
town, distant about seven leagues from 
Seville. Early in the morning we again 
mounted and departed. Perhaps in the 
whole of Spain there is scarcely a finer 
Moorish monument of antiquity than 
the eastern side of this town of Car- 
mona, which occupies the brow of a 
lofty hill, and frowns over an exten- 
sive vega or plain, which extends for 
leagues unplanted and uncultivated, pro- 
ducing nothing but brushwood and ca- 
rasco. Here rise tall and dusky walls, 
with square towers at short distances, 
of so massive a structure that they 
would seem to bid defiance alike to the 
tooth of time and the hand of man. 
This town, in the time of the Moors, 
was considered the key to Seville, and 
did not submit to the Christian arms 
till after a long and desperate siege : 
the capture of Seville followed speedily 
after. The vega upon which we now 
entered forms a part of the grand despo- 
il lado <>v desert of Andalusia, once a 



smiling garden, but which became what 
it now is on the expulsion of the Moors 
from Spain, when it was drained almost 
entirely of its population. The towns 
and villages from hence to the Sierra 
Morena, which divides Andalusia from 
La Mancha, are few and far between, 
and even of these several date from the 
middle of the last century, when an 
attempt was made by a Spanish minister 
to people this wilderness with the chil- 
dren of a foreign land. 

At about midday we arrived at a 
place called Moncloa, which consisted 
of a venta, and a desolate-looking edi- 
fice which had something of the ap- 
pearance of a chateau : a solitary palm 
tree raised its head over the outer wall. 
We entered the venta, tied our horses 
to the manger, and having ordered 
barley for them, we sat down before a 
large fire, which burned in the middle 
of the venta. The host and hostess 
also came and sat down beside us. 
" They are evil people/' said the old 
Genoese to me in Italian, " and this is 
an evil house ; it is a harbouring place 
for thieves, and murders have been com- 
mitted here, if all tales be true/' I 
looked at these two people attentively ; 
they were both young, the man ap- 
parently about twenty-five years of age. 
He was a short thick-made churl, evi- 
dently of prodigious strength ; his fea- 
tures were rather handsome, but with a 
gloomy expression, and his eyes were 
full of sullen fire. His wife somewhat 
resembled him, but had a countenance 
more open and better tempered; but 
what struck me as most singular in 
connexion with these people, was the 
colour of their hair and complexion : 
the latter was fair and ruddy, and the 
| former of a bright auburn, both in 



CHAP. XVI."] 



THE BIBLE IN SPATN. 



9* 



striking contrast to the black hair and 
swarthy visages which in general dis- 
tinguish the natives of this province. 
" Are you an Andalusian ? " said I to 
the hostess ? "I should almost con- 
clude you to be a German." 

Hostess. — And your worship would 
not be very wrong. It is true that I 
am a Spaniard, being born in Spain, 
but it is equally true that I am of 
German blood, for my grand parents 
came from German v, even like those 
of this gentleman, my lord and hus- 
band. 

Myself. — And what chance brought 
your grand parents into this country ? 

Hostess. — Did your worship never 
hear of the German colonies ? There 
are many of them in these parts. In 
old times the land was nearly deserted, 
and it was very dangerous for travellers 
to journey along the waste, owing to 
the robbers. So a long time ago, nearly 
a hundred years, as 1 am told, some 
potent lord sent messengers to Ger- 
many, to tell the people there what a 
goodly land there was in these parts 
uncultivated for want of hands, and to 
promise e very labourer who would con- 
sent to come and till it, a house and a 
yoke of oxen, with food and provision 
for one year. And in consequence of 
this invitation a great many poor fami- 
lies left the German land and came 
hither, and settled down in certain 
towns and villages which had been 
prepared for them, which places were 
called German colonies, and this name 
they still retain. 

Myself. — And how many of these 
colonies may there be ? 

Hostess. — There are several, both on 
this side of Cordova and the other. 
The nearest is Luisiana, about two 
leagues from hence, from which place 
both my husband and myself come ; the 
next is Carlota, which is some ten 
leagues distant, and these are the only 
colonies of our people which I have 
seen ; but there are others farther on, 
and some, as I have heard say, in the 
very heart of the Sierra Morena. 

Myself. — And do the colonists still 
retain the language of their forefathers ? 

Hostess. — We speak Spanish, or ra- 
ther Andalusian, and no other lan- 



guage. A few, indeed, amongst the 
very old people, retain a few words of 
German, which they acquired from 
their fathers, who were born in the 
other country: but the last person 
amongst the colonists who could under- 
stand a conversation in German was 
the aunt of my mother, who came over 
when a girl. When I was a child I 
remember her conversing with a foreign 
traveller, a countryman of hers, in a 
language which I was told was Ger- 
man, and they understood each other, 
i though the old woman confessed that 
| she had lost many words : she has now 
been dead several years. 

Mi/self. — Of what religion are the 
colonists ? 

Hostess. — They are Christians, like 
the Spaniards, and so were their fathers 
before them. Indeed, I have heard 
that they came from a part of Germany 
where the Christian religion is as much 
practised as in Spain itself. 

Myself — The Germans are the most 
honest people in the world : being their 
legitimate descendants you have ol 
course no thieves amongst you. 

The hostess glanced at me for a mo- 
ment, then looked at her husband and 
smiled: the latter, who had hitherto 
been smoking without uttering a word, 
though with a peculiarly surly and dis- 
satisfied countenance, now flung the re- 
mainder of his cigar amongst the em- 
bers, then springing up, he muttered 
" Disparate ! " and " Conversation ! " 
and went abroad. 

" You touched them in the sore place. 
Signer," said the Genoese, after we had 
left Moncloa some way behind us. 
" Were they honest people they would 
not keep that venta ; and as for the 
colonists, I know not what kind of 
people they might be when they first 
came over, but at present their ways 
are not a bit better than those of the 
Andalusians, but rather worse, if there 
is any difference at all." 

A short time before sunset of the 
third day after our departure from Se- 
ville, we found ourselves at the Cuesta 
del Espinal, or hill of the thorn tree, at 
about two leagues from Cordova ; — we 
could just descry the walls of the city, 
upon which the last beams of the 



96 THE BIBLE 



descending luminary were resting. As 
the neighbourhood in which we were 
was, according to the account of my 
guide, generally infested with robbers, 
we used our best endeavours to reach 
the town before the night should have 
entirely closed in. We did not suc- 
ceed, however, and before we had pro- 
ceeded half the distance, pitchy dark- 
ness overtook us. Throughout the 
journey we had been considerably de- 
layed by the badness of our horses, 
especially that of my attendant, which 
appeared to pay no regard to whip or 
spur : his rider also was no horseman, 
it being thirty years, as he at length 
confessed to me, since he last mounted 
in a saddle. Horses soon become aware 
of the powers of their riders, and the 
brute in question was disposed to take 
great advantage of the fears and weak- 
ness of the old man. There is a remedy, 
however, for most things in this world. 
I became so wearied at last at the snail's 
pace at which we were proceeding, that 
I fastened the bridle of the sluggish 
horse to the crupper of mine, then 
sparing neither spur nor cudgel, I soon 
forced my own horse into a kind of 
trot, which compelled the other to make 
some use of his legs. He twice at- 
tempted to fling himself down, to the 
great terror of his aged rider, who fre- 
quently entreated me to stop and per- 
mit him to dismount. I, however, took 
no notice of what he said, but continued 
spurring and cudgelling with unabated 
activity, and with such success, that in 
less than half an hour we saw lights 
close before us, and presently came to a 
river and a bridge, which crossing, we 
found ourselves at the gate of Cor- 
dova, without having broken either our 
horses' knees or our own necks. 

We passed through the entire length 
of the town ere we reached the posada : 
the streets were dark and almost en- 
tirely deserted. The posada was a large 
building, the windows of which were 
well fenced with rejas, or iron grating: 
no light gleamed from them, and the 
silence of death not only seemed to per- 
vade the house, but the street in which 
it was situated. We knocked for a 
long time at the gate without receiving 
any answer ; we then raised our voices 



IN SPAIX. [chap, xa, 



and shouted. At last some one from 
within inquired what we wanted. 
" Open the door and you will see," 
we replied. " I shall do no such 
thing," answered the individual from 
within, " until I know who you are." 
" We are travellers," said I, " from 
Seville." " Travellers, are you?" said 
the voice ; " why did you not tell me 
so before ? I am not porter at this 
house to keep out travellers. Jesus 
Maria knows we have not so many of 
them that we need repulse any. Enter, 
cavalier, and welcome, you and your 
company." 

He opened the gate and admitted us 
into a spacious court-yard, and then 
forthwith again secured the gate with 
various bolts and bars. " Are you 
afraid that the Carlists should pay you 
a visit," I demanded, " that you take 
so much precaution ?" " It is not the 
Carlists we are afraid of," replied the 
porter ; " they have been here already, 
and did us no damage whatever. It is 
certain scoundrels of this town that we 
are afraid of, who have a spite against 
the master of the house, and would 
murder both him and his family, could 
they but find an opportunity." 

I was about to inquire the cause of 
this enmity, when a thick bulky man, 
bearing a light in his hand, came run- 
ning down a stone staircase, which led 
into the interior of the building. Two 
or three females, also bearing lights, 
followed him. He stopped on the lowest 
stair. " Whom have we here ?" he 
exclaimed; then advancing the lamp 
which he bore, the light fell full upon 
my face. "Ola!" he exclaimed; "is 
it you '? Only think," said he, turning 
to the female who stood next him, a 
dark-featured person, stout as himself, 
and about his own age, which might 
border upon fifty; " only think, my 
dear, that at the very moment we were 
wishing for a guest, an Englishman 
should be standing before our doors, 
for I should know an Englishman at 
a mile's distance, even in the dark. 
Juanito," cried he to the porter, " open 
not the gate any more to-night, who- 
ever may ask for admission. Should 
the nationals come to make any dis- 
turbance, tell them that the son oi 



CHAP. XVI. j 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN, 



07 



Belington {Wellington) is in the house 
ready to attack them sword in hand 
unless they retire; and should other 
travellers arrive, which is not likely, 
inasmuch as we have seen none for a 
month past, say that we have no room, 
all our apartments being occupied by 
an English gentleman and his com- 
pany." 

I soon found that my friend the po- 
sadero was a most egregious Carlist. 
Before I had finished supper — during 
which, both himself and all his family 
were present, surrounding the little 
table at which I sat, and observing my 
every motion, particularly the manner 
in which I handled my knife and fork 
and conveyed the food to my mouth — 
lie commenced talking politics. " I am 
of no particular opinion, Don Jorge," 
said he, for he had inquired my name 
in order that he might address me in a 
suitable manner ; " I am of no particu- 
lar opinion, and I hold neither for King 
Carlos nor for the chica Isabel : never- 
theless, I lead the life of a dog in this 
accursed Christino town, which I would 
have left long ago, had it not been the 
place of my birth, and did I but know 
thither to betake myself. Ever since 
the troubles have commenced, I have 
been afraid to stir into the street, for no 
sooner do the canaille of the town see 
me turning round a corner, than they 
forthwith exclaim, ' Halloo, the Car- 
list!' and then there is a run and a 
rush, and stones and cudgels are in 
great requisition ; so that unless I can 
escape home, which is no easy matter, 
seeing that I weigh eighteen stone, my 
life is poured out in the street, which is 
neither decent nor convenient, as I think 
you will acknowledge, Don Jorge. 
You see that young man," he continued, 
pointing to a tall swarthy youth who 
stood behind my chair, officiating as 
waiter ; " he is my fourth son, is mar- 
ried, and does not live in the house, but 
about a hundred yards down the street. 
He was summoned in a hurry to wait 
upon your worship, as is his duty: 
know,, however, that he has come at the 
peril of his life : before he leaves this 
house, he must peep out into the street 
to see if the coast is clear, and then he 
must run like a partridge to his own 



door. Carlists ! why should they call 
my family and myself Carlists ? It is 
true that my eldest son was a friar, and 
when the convents were suppiessed, 
betook himself to the royal ranks, in 
which he has been fighting upwards of 
three years ; could I help that ? Nor 
was it my fault, I trow, that my second 
son enlisted the other day with Gomez 
and the royalists when they entered 
Cordova. God prosper him, I say ; but 
I did not bid him go ! So far from 
being a Carlist, it was I who persuaded 
this very lad who is present to remain 
here, though he would fain have gone 
with his brother, for he is a brave lad 
and a true Christian. Stay at home, 
said I for what can I do without you ? 
Who is to wait upon the guests when it 
pleases God to send them? Stay at 
home, at least till your brother, my 
third son, comes back, for, to my shame 
be it spoken, Don Jorge, I have a son a 
soldier and a sergeant in the Christino 
armies, sorely against his own inclina- 
tion, poor fellow, for he likes not the 
military life, and I have been soliciting 
his discharge for years ; indeed, I have 
counselled him to maim himself, in or- 
der that he might procure his liberty 
forthwith : so I said to this lad, stay at 
home, my child, till your brother comes 
to take your place and prevent our 
bread being eaten by strangers, who 
would perhaps sell me and betray me ; 
so my son staid at home, as you see, 
Don Jorge, at my request, and yet they 
call me a Carlist !" 

" Gomez and his bands have lately 
been in Cordova," said I ; "of course 
you were present at all that occurred': 
how did they comport themselves ?" 

" Bravely well," replied the inn- 
keeper, " bravely well, and I wish they 
were here still. I hold with neither 
side, as 1 told you before, Don Jorge, 
but I confess I never felt greater plea- 
sure in my life than when they en- 
tered the gate ; and then to see the dogs 
of nationals flying through the streets 
to save their lives — that was a sight, 
Don Jorge ; those who met me then at 
the corner forgot to shout 1 Halloo, Car- 
lista!' and I heard not a word about 
cudgelling ; some jumped from the wall 
and ran no one knows where, whilst the 

H 



^ P8 



rest retired to the house of the Inqui- 
sition, which they had fortified, and 
there they shut themselves up. Now 
you must know, Don Jorge, that all the 
Carlist chiefs lodged at my house, Go- 
mez, Cabrera, and the Sawyer ; and 
it chanced that I was talking to my 
Lord Gomez in this very room in which 
we are now, when in came Cabrera in 
a mighty fury — he is a small man, Don 
Jorge, but he is as active as a wild cat 
and as fierce. 4 The canaille/ said he, 
* in the Casa of the Inquisition refuse 
to surrender ; give but the order, Ge- 
neral, and I will scale the walls with 
my men, and put them all to the sword/ 
But Gomez said, ' No, we must not spill 
blood if we can avoid it ; order a few 
muskets to be fired at them, that will 
be sufficient !' And so it proved, Don 
Jorge, for after a few discharges their 
hearts failed them, and they surren- 
dered at discretion : whereupon their 
arms were taken from them, and they 
were permitted to return to their own 
houses ; but as soon as ever the Carlists 
departed, these fellows became as bold 
as ever, and it is now once more, ' Hal- 
loo, Cariista!' when they see me turn- 
ing the corner; and it is for fear of 
them that my son must run like a part- 
ridge to his own home, now that he has 
done waiting on your worship, lest they 
meet him in the street, and kill him 
with their knives V 

" You tell me that you were ac- 
quainted with Gomez: what kind of 
man might he be ?" 

" A middle-sized man," replied the 
innkeeper ; " grave and dark. But the 
most remarkable personage in appear- 
ance of them all was the Sawyer : he is 
a kind of giant, so tall, that when he 
entered the doorway he invariably 
struck his head against the lintel. The 
one I liked least of all was one Palillos, 
who is a gloomy savage ruffian, whom I 
knew when he was a postilion. Many is 
the time that he has been at my house of 
old : he is now captain of the Manche- 
gan thieves, for, though he calls himself • 
a royalist, he is neither more nor less 
than a thief. It is a disgrace to the 
cause that such as he should be permit- 
ted to mix with honourable and brave- 
men ; I hate that fellow, 'Don Jorge : it 



[chap. xvi. 

is owing to him that I have so few cus- 
tomers. Travellers are, at present, 
afraid to pass through La Mancha, lest 
they fall into his hands. 1 wish he 
were hanged, Don Jorge, and whether 
by Christinos or Eoyalists, I care not." 

" You recognised me at once for an 
Englishman," said I ; "do many of my 
countrymen visit Cordova ?" 

" lama ! " said the landlord, " they 
are my best customers; I have had 
Englishmen in this house of all grades, 
from the son of Belington to a young 
medico, who cured my daughter, the 
chica here, of the ear-ache. How should 
I not know an Englishman? There 
were two with Gomez, serving as volun- 
teers. Vaj/a que gentel what noble 
horses they rode, and how they scat- 
tered their gold about! they brought 
with them a Portuguese, who was much 
of a gentleman, but very poor ; it was 
said that he was one of Don Miguel's 
people, and that these Englishmen sup- 
ported him for the love they bore to 
royalty ; he was continually singing 

* El Rey chegou — El Rev chegou, 
E en Relem desembarcou ! '* 

Those were merry days, Don Jorge. 
By the by, I forgot to ask your worship 
of what opinion you are ?" 

The next morning whilst I was dress- 
ing, the old Genoese entered my room : 
" Signore," said he, " I am come to bid 
you farewell. I am about to return to 
Seville forthwith with the horses." 

" Wherefore in such a hurry- ?" I re- 
plied; "assuredly you had better tarry 
till to-morrow; both the animals and 
yourself require rest ; repose yourselves 
to-day, and I will defray the expense," 

" Thank you, Signore^ but we will 
depart forthwith, for there is no tarry- 
ing in this house." 

" AYhat is the matter with the he use V 



" I find no fault with the house," re- 
plied the Genoese, "it is the people 
who keep it of whom I complain. About 
an hour since, I went down to get my 
breakfast, and there, in the kitchen, I 
found the master and all his family : 
well, I sat down and called for choco- 



* 1 The kins: arrived, the kinjr arrived, and 
di.sernbarke'1 at iielem.' — Miguetite song* 




THE BIBLE IN SPAIN". 



CHAP. XVI.] 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



99 



late, which they brought me, but ere I 
could despatch it, the master fell to 
talking politics. He commenced by 
telling me that he held with neither 
side, but he is as rank a Carlist as Car- 
los Quinto : for no sooner did he find 
that I was of the other opinion than he 
glared, at me like a wild beast. You 
must know, Signore, that in the time of 
the old constitution I kept a coffee- 
house at Seville, which was frequented 
by all the principal liberals, and was, 
indeed, the cause of my ruin : for, as I 
admired their opinions, I gave my cus- 
tomers whatever credit they required, 
both with regard to coffee and liqueurs, 
so that by the time the constitution was 
put down and despotism re-established, 
I had trusted them with all I had. It 
is possible that many of them would 
have paid me, for I believe they har- 
boured no evil intention ; but the perse- 
cution came, the liberals took to flight, 
and, as was natural enough, thought 
more of providing for their own safety 
than of paying me for my coffee and 
liqueurs ; nevertheless, I am a friend to 
their system, and never hesitate to say 
so. So the landlord, as I told your 
worship before, when he found that I 
was of this opinion, glared at me like a 
wild beast : 4 Get out of my house/ said 
he, ' for I will have no spies here,' and 
thereupon he spoke disrespectfully of 



the young Queen Isabel and of Chris- 
tina, who, notwithstanding she is a Nea- 
politan, I consider as my countrywoman. 
Hearing this, your worship, I confess 
that I lost my temper and returned the 
compliment, by saying that Carlos was 
a knave, and the Princess of Beira no 
better than she should be. I then pre- 
pared to swallow the chocolate, but ere 
I could bring it to my lips, the woman 
of the house, who is a still ranker Car- 
list than her husband, if that be pos- 
sible, coming up to me struck the cup 
into the air as high as the ceiling, ex- 
claiming, 4 Begone, dog of a negro, you 
shall taste nothing more in my house : 
may you be hanged even as a swine i* 
hanged.' So your \* orship sees that it 
is impossible for me to remain her» any 
longer. I forgot to say that the knave 
of a landlord told me that you had con- 
fessed yourself to be of the same poli- 
tics as himself, or he would not have 
harboured you." 

" My good man," said I, " I am in- 
variably of the politics of the people at 
whose table I sit, or beneath whose roof 
I sleep ; at least I never say any thing 
which can lead them to suspect the con- 
trary ; by pursuing which system I have 
more than once escaped a bloody pillow, 
and having the wine I drank spiced 
with sublimate." 



100 



CHAPTER XVII. 



Cordova—Moors of Barbary— The English— An Old Priest— The Roman Breviary— The Dove- 
cote — The Holy Office — Judaism — Desecration of Dovecotes — The Innkeeper's Proposal. 



Little can be said with respect to the 
town of Cordova, which is a mean dark 
gloomy place, full of narrow streets and 
alleys, without squares or public build- 
ings worthy of attention, save and ex- 
cept its far-famed cathedral ; its situa- 
tion, however, is beautiful and pic- 
turesque. Before it runs the Guadal- 
quivir, which, though in this part 
shallow and full of sandbanks, is still a 
delightful stream ; whilst behind it rise 
the steep sides of the Sierra Morena, 
planted up to the top with olive groves. 
The town or city is surrounded on all 
sides by lofty Moorish walls, which 
may measure about three quarters of a 
league in circumference ; unlike Seville, 
and most other towns in Spain, it has 
no suburbs. 

I have said that Cordova has no re- 
markable edifices, save its cathedral; 
yet this is perhaps the most extraor- 
dinary place of worship in the world. 
It was originally, as is well known, a 
mosque, built in the brightest days of 
Arabian dominion in Spain ; in shape it 
was quadrangular, with a low roof, sup- 
ported by an infinity of small and deli- 
cately-rounded marble pillars, many of 
which still remain, and present at first 
sight the appearance of a marble grove ; 
the greater part, however, were removed 
when the Christians, after the expulsion 
of the Moslems, essayed to convert the 
mosque into a cathedral, which they 
effected in part by the erection of a 
dome, and by clearing an open space for 
a choir. As it at present exists, the 
temple appears to belong partly to Ma- 
homet, and partly to the Nazarene ; and 
though this jumbling together of massive 
Gothic architecture with the light and 
delicate style of the Arabians, produces 
an effect somewhat bizarre, it still re- 



mains a magnificent and glorious edifice, 
and well calculated to excite feelings of 
awe and veneration within the bosoms 
of those who enter it. 

The Moors of Barbary seem to care 
but little for the exploits of their an- 
cestors : their minds are centered in the 
things of the present day, and only so 
far as those things regard themselves 
individually. Disinterested enthusi- 
asm, that truly distinguishing mark 
of a noble mind, and admiration for 
what is great, good, and grand, they 
appear to be totally incapable of feel- 
ing. It is astonishing with what in- 
difference they stray amongst the relics 
of ancient Moorish grandeur in Spain. 
No feelings of exultation seem to be ex- 
cited by the proof of what the Moor 
once was, nor of regret at the con- 
sciousness of what he now is. More 
interesting to them are their perfumes, 
their papouches, their dates, and their 
silks of Fez and Maraks, to dispose of 
which they visit Andalusia; and yet 
the generality of these men are far from 
being ignorant, and have both heard 
and read of what was passing in Spain 
in the old time. I was once conversing 
with a Moor at Madrid, with whom I 
was very intimate, about the Alhambra 
of Granada, which he had visited. " Did 
you not weep," said I, "when you 
passed through the courts, and thought 
of the Abencerrages ?" " No," said he, 
" I did not weep ; wherefore should I 
weep ?" " And why did you visit the 
Alhambra?" I demanded. "I visited 
it," he replied, " because, being at Gra- 
nada on my own affairs, one of your 
countrymen requested me to accompany 
him thither, that I might explain some 
of the inscriptions. I should certainly 
not have gone of my own accord, for 



CHAP. XVII.] 



THE BIBLE 



IN SPAIN. 



101 



the hill on which it stands is steep." 
And yet this man could compose verses, 
and was by no means a contemptible 
poet. Once at Cordova, whilst I was 
in the cathedral, three Moors entered 
it, and proceeded slowly across its floor 
in the direction of a gate, which stood 
at the opposite side ; they took no farther 
notice of what was around them than 
by slightly glancing once or twice at 
the pillars, one of them exclaiming, 
" Huaije del Mselmeen, huaije del Msel- 
meen ;" (things of the Moors, things of 
the Moors ;) and showed no other re- 
spect for the place where Abderrahman 
the Magnificent prostrated himself of 
old, than facing about on arriving at 
the farther door and making their egress 
backwards; yet these men were hajis 
and talebs, men likewise of much gold 
and silver, men who had read, who had 
travelled, who had seen Mecca, and the 
great city of Negroland. 

I remained in Cordova much longer 
than I had originally intended, owing 
to the accounts which I was continually 
hearing of the unsafe state of the roads 
to Madrid. I soon ransacked every 
nook and cranny of this ancient town, 
formed various acquaintances amongst 
the populace, which is my general prac- 
tice on arriving at a strange place. I 
more than once ascended the side of the 
Sierra Morena, in which excursions I 
was accompanied by the son of my 
host, — the tall lad of whom I have 
already spoken. The people of the 
house, who had imbibed the idea that 
I was of the same way of thinking as 
themselves, were exceedingly courte- 
ous; it is true, that in return T was 
compelled to listen to a vast deal of 
Carlism, in other words, high treason 
against the ruling powers in Spain, to 
which, however, I submitted with pa- 
tience. " Don Jorgito," said the land- 
lord to me one day, " I love the English ; 
they are my best customers. It is a 
pity that there is not greater union be- 
tween Spain and England, and that 
more English do not visit us. Why 
should there not be a marriage ? The 
king will speedily be at Madrid. Why 
should there not be bodas between the 
son of Don Carlos and the heiress of 
England?" 



" It would certainly tend to bring a 
considerable number of English to 
Spain," said I, " and it would not be 
the first time that the son of a Carlos 
has married a Princess of England." 

The host mused for a moment, and 
then exclaimed. " Carracho, Don Jor- 
gito, if this marriage could be brought 
about, both the king and *myself should 
have cause to fling our caps in the 
air." 

The house or posada in which I had 
taken up my abode was exceedingly 
spacious, containing an infinity of 
apartments, both large and small, the 
greater part of which were, however, 
unfurnished. The chamber in which 
I was lodged stood at the end of an im- 
mensely long corridor, of the kind so 
admirably described in the wondrous 
tale of Udolfo. For a day or two after 
my arrival I believed myself to be the 
only lodger in the house. One morn- 
ing, however, I beheld a strange-look- 
ing old man seated in the corridor, by 
one of the windows, reading intently 
in a small thick volume. He was clad 
in garments of coarse blue cloth, and 
wore a loose spencer over a waistcoat 
adorned with various rows of small 
buttons of mother of pearl ; he had 
spectacles upon his nose. I could per- 
ceive, notwithstanding he was seated, 
that his stature bordered upon the gi- 
gantic. " Who is that person ? " said I 
to the landlord, whom I presently met ; 
" is he also a guest of yours ? " " Not 
exactly, Don Jorge de mi alma," re- 
plied he. "I can scarcely call him a 
guest, inasmuch as I gain nothing by 
him, though he is staying at my house. 
You must know, Don Jorge, that he is 
one of two priests who officiate at a 
large village at some slight distance 
from this place. So it came to pass, 
that when the soldiers of Gomez en- 
tered the village, his reverence went to 
meet them, dressed in full canonicals, 
with a book in his hand, and he, at 
their bidding, proclaimed Carlos Quinto 
in the market-place. The other priest, 
however, was a desperate liberal, a 
downright negro, and upon him the 
royalists laid their hands, and were 
proceeding to hang him. His rever- 
ence, however, interfered, and obtained 



102 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



[chap. XVIt. 



mercy for his colleague, on condition 
that he should cry Viva Carlos Quinto I 
which the latter did in order to save his 
life. Weil ; no sooner had the royalists 
departed from these parts than the black 
priest mounts his mule, comes to Cor- 
dova, and informs against his rever- 
ence, notwithstanding that he had saved 
his life. So his reverence was seized 
and brought hither to Cordova, and 
would assuredly have been thrown into 
the common prison as a Carlist, had I 
not stepped forward and offered to be 
surety that he should not quit the place, 
but should come forward at any time 
to answer whatever charge might be 
brought against him ; and he is now in 
my house, though guest I cannot call 
him, for he is not of the slightest ad- 
vantage to me, as his very food is daily 
brought from the country, and that 
consists only of a few eggs and a little 
milk and bread. As for his money, I 
have never seen the colour of it, not- 
withstanding they tell me that he has 
buenas pesetas. However, he is a holy 
man, is continually reading and pray- 
ing, and is, moreover, of the right 
opinion. I therefore keep him in my 
house, and would be bail for him were 
he twenty times more of a skinflint 
than he seems to be/' 

The next day, as I was again passing 
through the corridor, I observed the 
old man in the same place, and saluted 
him. He returned my salutation with 
much courtesy, and closing the book, 
placed it upon his knee, as if willing to 
enter into conversation. After ex- 
changing a word or two, I took up the 
book for the purpose of inspecting it. 

"You will hardly derive much in- 
struction from that book, Don Jorge," 
said the old man ; " you cannot under- 
stand it, for it is not written in Eng- 
lish/' 

" Nor in Spanish," I replied. " But 
with respect to understanding the book, 
I cannot see what difficulty there can 
be in a thing so simple ; it is only the 
Roman breviary written in the Latin 
tongue." 

" Do the English understand Latin ?" 
exclaimed he. " Vaya ! Who would 
have thought that it was possible for 
Lutherans to understand the language 



of the church ? Vaya ! the longer one 
lives the more one learns." 

" How old may your reverence be ?" 
I inquired. 

" I am eighty years, Don Jorge ; 
eighty years, and somewhat more." 

Such was the first conversation which 
passed between his reverence and my- 
self. He soon conceived no inconsi- 
derable liking for me, and favoured me 
with no little of his company. Unlike 
our friend the landlord, I found him 
by no means inclined to talk politics, 
which the more surprised me, knowing, 
as I did, the decided and hazardous 
part which he had taken on the late 
Carlist irruption into the neighbour- 
hood. He took, however, great delight 
in discoursing on ecclesiastical subjects 
and the writings of the fathers. 

" I have got a small library at home, 
Don Jorge, which consists of all the 
volumes of the fathers which I have 
been able to pick up, and I find the 
perusal of them a source of great amuse- 
ment and comfort. Should these dark 
days pass by, Don Jorge, and you should 
be in these parts, I hope you will look 
in upon me, and I will show you my 
little library of the fathers, and like- 
wise my dovecote, where I rear nume- 
rous broods of pigeons, which are also 
a source of much solace, and at the 
same time of profit." 

" I suppose by your dovecote," said 
I, " you mean your parish, and by rear- 
ing broods of pigeons, you allude to 
the care you take of the souls of your 
people, instilling therein the fear of 
God and obedience to his revealed 
law, which occupation must of course 
afford you much solace and spiritual 
profit." 

" I was not speaking metaphorically, 
Don Jorge," replied my companion ; 
" and by rearing doves, I mean neither 
more nor less than that I supply the 
market of Cordova with pigeons, and 
occasionally that of Seville ; for my 
birds are very celebrated, and plumper 
or fatter flesh than theirs I believe 
cannot be found in the whole kingdom. 
Should you come to my village, you 
will doubtless taste them, Don Jorge, 
at the venta where you will put up, 
for I suffer no dovecotes but my own 



CHAP. XVII. j 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



103 



within my district. With respect to 
the souls of my parishioners, I trust I 
do my duty — I trust I do, as far as in my 
power lies. I always took great plea- 
sure in these spiritual matters, and 
it was on that account that I attached 
myself to the Santa Casa of Cordova, 
the duties of which I assisted to per- 
form for a long period." 

" Your reverence has been an in- 
quisitor ?" I exclaimed, somewhat j 
startled. 

" From my thirtieth year until the j 
time of the suppression of the holy office 
in these afflicted kingdoms." 

" You both surprise and delight me," 
I exclaimed. " Nothing could have 
afforded me greater pleasure than to 
find myself conversing with a father ' 
formerly attached to the holy house of 
Cordova." 

The old man looked at me stead- 
fastly ; " I understand you, Don Jorge. 
I have loug seen that you are one of 
us. You are a learned and holy man ; 
and though you think fit to call your- 
self a Lutheran and an Englishman, I 
have dived into your real condition. 
No Lutheran would take the interest 
in church matters which you do, and 
with respect to your being an English- 
man, none of that nation can speak 
Castilian, much less Latin. I believe 
you to be one of us — a missionary 
priest ; and I am especially confirmed 
in that idea by your frequent conver- 
sation and interviews with the Gitanos ; 
you appear to be labouring among 
them. Be, however, on your guard, 
Don Jorge ; trust not to Egyptian faith ; 
they are evil penitents, whom I like 
not. I would not advise you to trust 
them." 

" I do not intend," I replied ; " espe- 
cially with money. But to return to 
more important matters : — of what 
crimes did this holy house of Cordova 
take cognizance ?" 

" You are of course aware of the 
matters on which the holy office exer- 
cises its functions. I need scarcely 
mention sorcery, Judaism, and certain 
carnal misdemeanours." 

" With respect to sorcery," said I, 
*' what is your opinion of it ? Is there 
in reality such a crime ?" 



" Que se iV?"* said the old man, 
shrugging up his shoulders. " How 
should I know ? The church has power, 
Don Jorge, or at least it had power, to 
punish for any thing, real or unreal ; 
and, as it was necessary to punish in 
order to prove that it had the power of 
punishing, of what consequence whether 
it punished for sorcery or any other 
crime ?" 

" Did many cases of sorcery occur 
within your own sphere of know- 
ledge ?" 

" One or two, Don Jorge : they were 
by no means frequent. The last that I 
remember was a case which occurred 
in a convent at Seville : a certain nun 
was in the habit of flying through the 
windows and about the garden over the 
tops of the orange-trees ; declarations 
of various witnesses were taken, and 
the process was arranged with much 
formality : the fact, I believe, was satis- 
factorily proved: of one thing I am 
certain, that the nun was punished." 

" Were you troubled with much Ju- 
daism in these parts ?" 

" Wooh ! Nothing gave so much 
trouble to the Santa Casa as this same 
Judaism. Its shoots and ramifications 
are numerous, not only in these parts, 
but in all Spain; and it is singular 
enough, that, even among the priest- 
hood, instances of Judaism of both kinds 
were continually coming to our know- 
ledge, which it was of course our duty 
to punish." 

" Is there more than one species of 
Judaism ?" I demanded. 

" I have always arranged Judaism 
under two heads," said the old man, 
" the black and the white : by the 
black, I mean the observance of the law 
of Moses in preference to the precepts 
of the church ; then there is the white 
Judaism, which includes all kinds of 
heresy, such as Lutheranism, freema- 
sonry, and the like." 

" I can easily conceive," said 1, " that 
many of the priesthood favoured the 
principles of the Reformation, and that 
the minds of not a few had been led 
astray by the deceitful lights of modern 
philosophy, but it is almost inconceiv- 



* " How should I know ?" 



104 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



[chap. XVII. 



able to me that there should be Jews 
amongst the priesthood who follow in 
secret the rites and observances of the 
old law, though I confess that I have 
been assured of the fact ere now.* 5 

<; Plenty of Judaism amongst the 
priesthood, whether of the black or 
white species ; no lack of it, I assure 
you, Don Jorge ; I remember once 
searching the house of an ecclesiastic 
who was accused of the black Judaism, 
and, after much investigation, we dis- 
covered beneath the floor a wooden 
chest, in which was a small shrine of 
silver, inclosing three books in black 
hog-skin, which, on being opened, were 
found to be books of Jewish devotion, 
written in Hebrew characters, and of 
great antiquity; and on being ques- 
tioned, the culprit made no secret of 
his guilt, but rather gloried in it, say- 
ing that there was no God but one, and 
denouncing the adoration of Maria San- 
tissima as rank idolatry." 

" And between ourselves, what is 
your own opinion of the adoration of 
this same Maria Santissima ?" 

" What is my opinion ! Que se io ?" 
said the old man, shrugging up his 
shoulders still higher than on the for- 
mer occasion ; " but I will tell you : I 
think, on consideration, that it is quite 
right and proper ; why not ? Let any 
one pay a visit to my church, and look 
at her as she stands there, tan bonita, 
tan guapita — so well dressed and so 
genteel — with such pretty colours, such 
red and white, and he would scarcely 
ask me why Maria Santissima should 
not be adored. Moreover, Don Jorgito 
mio, this is a church matter, and forms 
an important part of the church sys- 
tem.'' 

" And now, -with respect to carnal 
misdemeanours. Did you take much 
cognizance of them ?" 

" Amongst the laity, not much ; we, 
however, kept a vigilant eye upon our 
own body ; but, upon the whole, were 
rather tolerant in these matters, know- 
ing that the infirmities of human nature 
are very great indeed. We rarely 
punished, save in cases where the glory 
of the church and loyalty to Maria 
Santissima made punishment absolutely 
imperative 



" And what cases might those be ? " 
I demanded. 

" I allude to the desecration of dove- 
cotes, Don Jorge, and the introduction 
therein of strange flesh, for purposes 
neither seemly nor convenient 

" Your reverence will excuse me for 
not yet perfectly understanding." 

" I mean, Don Jorge, certain acts of 
flagitiousness practised by the clergy in 
lone and remote palomares (dovecotes) 
in olive-grounds and gardens; actions 
denounced, I believe, by the holy Pablo 
in his first letter to Pope Sixtus.* You 
understand me now, Don Jorge, for you 
are learned in church matters/' 

" I think I understand you," I re- 
plied. 

After remaining several days more at 
Cordova, I determined to proceed on 
my journey to Madrid, though the roads 
were still said to be highly insecure. 
I, however, saw but little utility in 
tarrying and awaiting a more tranquil 
state of affairs, which might never ar- 
rive. I therefore consulted with the 
landlord respecting the best means of 
making the journey. " Don Jorgito," 
he replied, " I think I can tell you. 
You say you are anxious to depart, and 
I never wish to keep guests in my house 
longer than is agreeable to them ; to do 
so would not become a Christian inn- 
keeper. I leave such conduct to Moors, 
Christinos, and Negros. I will further 
you on your journey, Don Jorge: I 
have a plan in my head w T hich I had 
resolved to propose to you before you 
questioned me. There is my wife's 
brother, who has two horses which he 
occasionally lets out for hire ; you shall 
hire them, Don Jorge, and he himself 
shall attend you to take care of you, and 
to comfort you, and to talk to you, and 
you shall pay him forty dollars nV th? 
journey. Moreover, as there are thieves 
upon the route, and malos sujetos, such 
as Palillos and his family, you shall 
make an engagement and a covenant, 
Don Jorge, that provided you are robbed 
and stripped on the route, and the horses 
of my wife's brother are taken from him 
by the thieves, you shall, on arriving at 
Madrid, make good any losses to which 



* Qu. The Epistle to the Romans. 



CHAP. XVII.] 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



105 



my wife's brother may be subject in 
following you. This is my plan, Don 
Jorge, which no doubt will meet with 
your worship's approbation, as it is 
devised solely for your benefit, and not 
with any view of lucre or interest either 
to me or mine. You will find my wife's 
brother pleasant company on the route ; 
he is a very respectable man, and one 
of the right opinion, and has likewise 
travelled much ; for between ourselves, 
FJou Jorge, he is something of a Con- 



trabandista, and frequently smuggles 
diamonds and precious stones from Por- 
tugal, which he disposes of sometimes 
in Cordova and sometimes at Madrid. 
He is acquainted with all the short cuts, 
all the atajos, Don Jorge, and is much 
respected in all the ventas and posadas 
on the way ; so now give me your hand 
upon the bargain, and I will forthwith 
repair to my wife's brother to tell him 
to get ready to set out with your wor- 
ship the day after to-morrow." 



L W6 ] 



CHAPTER XVIII. 



Departure from Cordova — The Contrabandists — Jewish Canning— -A rr'val at Madrid. 



One fine morning I departed from Cor- 
dova, in company with the Contraban- 
dista; the latter was mounted on a 
handsome animal, something between a 
horse and a pony, which he called a 
jaca, of that breed for which Cordova 
is celebrated. It was of a bright bay 
colour, with a star in its forehead, with 
strong but elegant limbs, and a long 
black tail which swept the ground. 
The other animal, which was destined 
to carry me to Madrid, was not quite so 
prepossessing in its appearance. In 
more than one respect it closely re- 
sembled a hog, particularly in the curv- 
ing of its back, the shortness of its neck, 
and the manner in which it kept its 
head nearly in contact with the ground ; 
it had also the tail of a hog, and mean- 
dered over the ground much like one. 
Its coat more resembled coarse bristles 
than hair; and with respect to size, I 
have seen many a Westphalian hog 
quite as tall. I was not altogether 
satisfied with the idea of exhibiting 
myself on the back of this most extra- 
ordinary quadruped, and looked wist- 
fully on the respectable animal on which 
my guide had thought proper to place 
himself; he interpreted my glances, and 
gave me to understand that as he was 
destined to carry the baggage, he was 
entitled to the best horse; a plea too 
well grounded on reason for me to make 
any objection to it. 

I found the Contrabandista by no 
means such pleasant company on the 
road as I had been led to suppose he 
would prove from the representation of 
my host of Cordova. Throughout the 
day he sat sullen and silent, and rarely 
replied to my questions, save by a mo- 
nosyllable; at night, however, after 
having eaten well and drunk propor- 
tionabl v at my expense, he would occa- 



sionally become more sociable and 
communicative. " I have given up 
smuggling," said he, on one of these oc- 
casions, " owing to a trick which w T as 
played upon me the last time that I was 
at Lisbon: a Jew, whom I had been 
long acquainted with, palmed upon me 
a false brilliant for a real stone. He 
effected it in the most extraordinary 
manner, for I am not Such a novice as 
not to know a true diamond when I see 
one ; but the Jew appears to have had 
two, with which he played mest adroitly* 
keeping the valuable one for wdiich 1 
bargained, and substituting therefor 
another which, though' an excellent 
imitation, was not worth four dollars. 
I did not discover the trick until I was 
across the border, and upom my hurry- 
ing back, the culprit was not to be" 
found ; his priest, however, told me that 
he was just dead and buried, which was; 
of course false, as I saw him laughing 
in the corners of his eyes. I renounced 
the contraband trade from that mo- 
ment." 

It is not my intention to describe; 
minutely the various incidents of this 
journey. Leaving at our right the 
mountains of Jaen, we passed through 
Andujar and Bailen, and on the third 
day reached Carolina, a small but beau- 
tiful town on the skirts of the Sierra 
Morena, inhabited by the descendants 
of German colonists. Two leagues 
from this place we entered the defile of 
Despena Perros, which, even in quiet 
times, has an evil name, on account of 
the robberies which are continually 
being perpetrated within its recesses, 
but at the period of which I am speak- 
ing, it was said to bo swarming with 
banditti. We of course expected to be 
robbed, perhaps stripp?d and otherwise 
ill treated ; but Providence here mani- 



CHAP. XVIII.") 



THE BIBLE UN SPAIN. 



107 



fested itself. It appeared that the day 
before our arrival, the banditti of the 
pass had committed a dreadful robbery 
and murder, by which they gained 
forty thousand rials. This booty pro- 
bably contented them for a time : cer- 
tain it is that we were not interrupted. 
We did not even see a single individual 
in the pass, though we occasionally 
heard whistles and loud cries. We en- 
tered La Mancha, where I expected to 
fall into the hands of Palillos and Ore- 
jita. Providence again showed itself. 
It had been delicious weather ; suddenly 
the Lord breathed forth a frozen blast, 
the severity of which was almost in- 
tolerable ; no human being but ourselves 
ventured forth. We traversed snow- 
covered plains, and passed through vil- 
lages and towns to all appearance 
deserted. The robbers kept close in 
their caves and hovels, but the cold 
nearly killed us. W r e reached Aranjuez 
late on Christmas-day, and I got into 
the house of an Englishman, where I 
swallowed nearly a pint of brandy : it 
affected me no more than warm water. 

On the following day we arrived at 
Madrid, wiiere we had the good fortune 
to find everything tranquil and quiet. 
The Contrabandista continued with me 
for two days, at the end of which time 
he returned to Cordova upon the un- 
couth animal on which I had ridden 
throughout the journey. I had myself 
purchased the jaca, whose capabilities 



I had seen on the route, and which I 
imagined might prove useful in future 
journeys. The Contrabandista was so 
satisfied with the price which I gave 
him for his beast, and the general treat- 
ment which he had experienced at my 
hands during the time of his attendance 
upon me, that he would fain have per- 
suaded me to retain him as a servant, 
assuring me that, in the event of my 
compliance, he would forget his wife 
and children and follow me through the 
world. I declined, however, to accede 
to his request, though I was in need of 
a domestic ; I therefore sent him back 
to Cordova, where, as I subsequently 
learned, he died suddenly, about a week 
after his return. 

The manner of his death was singu- 
lar : one day he took out his purse, and, 
after counting his money, said to his 
wife, " I have made ninety-five dollars 
by this journey with the Englishman 
and by the sale of the jaca ; this I could 
easily double by one successful venture 
in the smuggling lay. To-morrow I 
will depart for Lisbon to buy diamonds. 
I wonder if the beast requires to be 
shod ? " Pie then started up and made 
for the door, with the intention of going 
to the stable ; ere, however, his foot had 
crossed the threshold, he fell dead on 
the floor. Such is the course of the 
world. Yv T ell said the wise king : Let 
no one boast of the morrow. 



[ m ] 



CHAPTER XIX. 

Arrival at Madrid— Maria Diaz — Printing of the Testament — My Project — Andaiusian Steed — 
Servant Wanted— An Application — Antonio Buchini — General Cordova — Principle3 of 
Honour. 



On my arrival at Madrid I did not 
repair to my former lodgings in the 
Calle de la Zarza, but took others in 
the Calle de Santiago, in the vicinity of 
the palace. The name of the hostess 
(for there was, properly speaking, no 
host) was Maria Diaz, of whom I shall 
take the present opportunity of saying 
something in particular. 

She was a woman of about thirty- 
five years of age, rather good-looking, 
and with a physiognomy every linea- 
ment of which bespoke intelligence of 
no common order. Her eyes were keen 
and penetrating, though occasionally 
clouded with a somewhat melancholy 
expression. There was a particular 
calmness and quiet in her general de- 
meanour, beneath which, however, 
slumbered a firmness of spirit and an 
energy of action which were instantly 
displayed whenever necessary. A Spa- 
niard, and, of course, a Catholic, she 
was possessed of a spirit of toleration 
and liberality which would have done 
honour to individuals much her supe- 
rior in station. In this woman, during 
the remainder of my sojourn in Spain, 
I found a firm and constant friend, and 
occasionally a most discreet adviser. 
She entered into all my plans, I will 
not say with enthusiasm, which, in- 
deed, formed no part of her character, 
but with cordiality and sincerity, for- 
warding them to the utmost of her 
ability. She never shrank from me in 
the hour of danger and persecution, 
but stood my friend, notwithstanding 
the many inducements which were held 
out to her by my enemies to desert or 
betray me. Her motives were of the 
noblest kind — friendship, and a proper 
feeling of the duties of hospitality : no 



| prospect, no hope of self-interest, how- 
I ever remote, influenced this admirable 
woman in her conduct towards me. 
Honour to Maria Diaz, the quiet, daunt- 
less, clever Castilian female ! I were 
an ingrate not to speak well of her, for 
richly has she deserved an eulogy in 
the humble pages of " The Bible in 
Spain." 

She was a native of Villa Seca, a 
hamlet of New Castile, situated in 
what is called the Sagra, at about three 
leagues' distance from Toledo. Her 
father was an architect of some cele- 
brity, particularly skilled in erecting 
bridges. At a very early age she 
married a respectable yeoman of Villa 
Seca, Lopez by name, by whom she 
had three sons. On the death of her 
father, which occurred about five years 
previous to the time of which I am 
speaking, she removed to Madrid, 
partly for the purpose of educating her 
children, and partly in the hope of ob- 
taining from the government a consi- 
derable sum of money for which it 
stood indebted to her father at the 
time of his decease, for various useful 
and ornamental works, principally in 
the neighbourhood of Aranjuez. The 
justness of her claim was at once ac- 
knowledged ; but, alas ! no money was 
forthcoming, the royal treasury being 
empty. Her hopes of earthly happi- 
ness were now concentrated in her 
children. The two youngest were still 
of a very tender age ; but the eldest, 
Juan Jose' Lopez, a lad of about six- 
teen, was bidding fair to realise the 
warmest hopes of his affectionate mo- 
ther. He had devoted himself to the 
arts, in which he had made such pro- 
gress that he had already become the 



CHAP. XIX.] 



THE SjlBLE 



IN SPAIN. 



109 



favourite pupil of his celebrated name- 
sake Lopez, the best painter of modern 
Spain. Such was Maria Diaz, who, 
according to a custom formerly uni- 
versal in Spain, and still very preva- 
lent, retained the name of her maiden- 
hood though married. Such was Maria 
Diaz and her family. 

One of my first cares was to wait on 
Mr. Villiers, who received me with his 
usual kindness. I asked him whether 
he considered that I might venture to 
commence printing the Scriptures with- 
out any more applications to govern- 
ment. His reply was satisfactory: 
" You obtained the permission of the 
government of Isturitz," said he, " which 
was a much less liberal one than the 
present. I am a witness to the pro- 
mise made to you by the former mi- 
nisters, which I consider sufficient. 
You had best commence and complete 
the work as soon as possible, without 
any fresh application ; and should any 
one attempt to interrupt you, you have 
only to come to me, whom you may 
command at any time." So I went 
away with a light heart, and forthwith 
made preparation for the execution of 
the object which had brought me to 
Spain. 

I shall not enter here into unneces- 
sary details, which could possess but 
little interest for the reader ; suffice it 
to say that, within three months from 
this time, an edition of the New Testa- 
ment, consisting of five thousand copies, 
was published at Madrid. The work 
was printed at the establishment of 
Mr. Borrego, a well-known writer on 
political economy, and proprietor and 
editor of an influential newspaper called 
" El Espanol." To this gentleman I 
had been recommended by Isturitz 
himself, on the day of my interview 
with him. That unfortunate minister 
had, indeed, the highest esteem for 
Borrego, and had intended raising him 
to the station of minister of finance, 
when the revolution of the Granja oc- 
curring, of course rendered abortive 
this project, with perhaps many others 
of a similar kind which he might have 
formed. 

The Spanish version of the New 
Testament which, was thus published 



had been made many years before by 
a certain Padre Filipe Scio, confessor 
of Ferdinand the Seventh, and had even 
been printed, but so encumbered by 
notes and commentaries as to be un- 
fitted for general circulation, for which, 
indeed, it was never intended. In the 
present edition the notes were of course 
omitted, and the in spired word, and that 
alone, offered to the public. It was 
brought out in a handsome octavo 
volume, and presented, upon the whole, 
a rather favourable specimen of Spa- 
nish typography. 

The mere printing, however, of the 
New Testament at Madrid could be 
attended with no utility whatever, un- 
less measures, and energetic ones, were 
taken for the circulation of the sacred 
volume. 

In the case of the New Testament it 
would not do to follow the usual plan 
of publication in Spain, namely, to en- 
trust the work to the booksellers of the 
capital, and rest content with the sale 
which they and their agents in the 
provincial towns might be able to ob- 
tain for it in the common routine of 
business ; the result generally being the 
circulation of a few dozen copies in the 
course of the year : as the demand for 
literature of every kind in Spain was 
miserably small. 

The Christians of England had al- 
ready made considerable sacrifices in 
the hope of disseminating the word of 
God largely amongst the Spaniards, 
and it was now necessary to spare no 
exertion to prevent that hope becoming 
abortive. Before the book was ready 
I had begun to make preparations for 
putting a plan into execution, which 
had occupied my thoughts occasionally 
during my former visit to Spain, and 
which I had never subsequently aban- 
doned. I had mused on it when otf 
Cape Finisterre in the tempest, — in the 
cut- throat passes of the Morena, — and 
on the plains of La Mancha, as I jogged 
along a little way ahead of the Contra- 
bandista. 

I had determined, after depositing a 
certain number of copies in the shops 
of the booksellers of Madrid, to ride 
forth, Testament in hand, and endea- 
vour to circulate the word of God 



110 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



[chap. XIX. 



amongst the Spaniards, not only of the 
towns, but of the villages — amongst the 
children not only of the plains, but of 
the hills and mountains. I intended to 
visit Old Castile, and to traverse the 
whole of Galicia and the Asturias, — to 
establish Scripture depots in the prin- 
cipal towns, and to visit the people in 
secret and secluded spots, — to talk to 
them of Christ, to explain to them the 
nature of his book, and to place that 
book in the hands of those whom I 
should deem capable of deriving benefit 
from it. I was aware that such a 
journey would be attended with con- 
siderable danger, and very possibly the 
fate of St. Stephen might overtake me ; 
but does the man deserve the name of 
a follower of Christ who would shrink 
from danger of any kind in the cause 
of Him whom he calls his Master? 
" He who loses his life for my sake 
shall find it," are words which the 
Lord himself uttered. These words 
were fraught with consolation to me, 
as they doubtless are to every one en- 
gaged in propagating the Gospel in sin- 
cerity of heart, in savage and barbarian 

lands 

I now purchased another horse ; for 
these animals, at the time of which I 
am speaking, were exceedingly cheap. 
A royal requisition was about to be 
issued for five thousand, the conse- 
quence being that an immense number 
were for sale, for, by virtue of this re- 
quisition, the horses of any person not 
a foreigner could be seized for the 
benefit of the service. It was probable 
that, when the number was made up, 
the price of horses would be treble 
what it then was, which consideration 
induced me to purchase this animal 
before I exactly wanted him. He was 
a black Andalusian stallion of great 
power and strength, and capable of 
performing a journey of a hundred 
leagues in a week's time, but he was 
unbroke, savage, and furious. A cargo 
of Bibles, however, which I hoped oc- 
casionally to put on his back, would, I 
had no doubt, thoroughly tame him, 
especial]y when labouring up the flinty 
hills of the north of Spain. I wished 
to have purchased a mule, but,, though 
I offered thirty pounds for a sorry one, 



I could not obtain her; whereas the 
cost of both the horses — tall, powerful, 
stately animals — scarcely amounted to 
that sum. 

The state of the surrounding country 
at this time was not very favourable 
for venturing forth. Cabrera was 
within nine leagues, of Madrid, with 
an army nearly ten thousand strong, 
he had beaten several small detach- 
ments of the queen's troops, and had 
ravaged La Mancha with fire and 
sword, burning several towns. Bands 
of affrighted fugitives were arriving 
every hour, bringing tidings of woe 
and disaster ; and I was only surprised 
that the enemy did not appear, and by 
taking Madrid, which was almost at 
his mercy, put an end to the war at 
once. But the truth is, that the Carlist 
generals did not wish the war to cease, 
for as long as the country was involved 
in bloodshed and anarchy they could 
plunder, and exercise that lawless au- 
thority so dear to men of fierce and 
brutal passions. Cabrera, moreover, 
was a dastardly wretch, whose limited 
mind was incapable of harbouring a 
single conception approaching to gran- 
deur, — whose heroic deeds were con- 
fined to cutting down defenceless men, 
and to forcing and disembowelling un- 
happy women; and yet I have seen 
this wretched fellow termed by French 
journals (Carlist of course) the young, 
the heroic general ! Infamy on the 
cowardly assassin ! The shabbiest cor- 
poral of Napoleon would have laughed 
at his generalship, and half a battalion 
of Austrian grenadiers would have 
driven him and his rabble army head- 
long into the Ebro. 

I now made preparations for my 
journev into the north. I was already 
provided with horses well calculated to 
support the fatigues of the road and the 
burdens which I might deem necessary 
to impose upon them. One thing, how- 
ever, was still lacking, indispensable 
to a person about to engage on an ex- 
pedition of this description ; I mean a 
servant to attend me. Perhaps there 
is no place in the world where servants 
more abound than at Madrid, or at 
least fellows eager to proffer their ser- 
vices in the expectation of receiving 



CHAP. XIX.] 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



Ill 



food and wages, though, with respect 
to the actual service which they are 
capable of performing, not much can 
be said ; but I was in want of a servant 
of no common description, a shrewd 
active fellow, of whose advice, in cases 
of emergency, I could occasionally 
avail myself; courageous withal, for 
it certainly required some degree of 
courage to follow a master bent on 
exploring the greater part of Spain, 
and who intended to travel, not under 
the protection of muleteers and carmen, 
but on his own cabalgaduras. Such a 
servant, perhaps, I might have sought 
for years without finding; chance, how- 
ever, brought one to my hand at the 
very time I wanted him, without it 
being necessary for me to make any 
laborious perquisitions. I was one day 
mentioning the subject to Mr, Borrego, 
at whose establishment I had printed 
the New Testament, and inquiring whe- 
ther he thought that such an individual 
was to be found in Madrid, adding that 
I was particularly anxious to obtain a 
servant who, besides Spanish, could 
speak some other language, that occa- 
sionally we might discourse without 
being understood by those who might 
overhear us. " The very description 
of person," he replied, " that you appear 
to be in need of, quitted me about half 
an hour ago, and, it is singular enough, 
came to me in the hope that I might be 
able to recommend him to a master. 
He has been twice in my service : for 
his talent and courage I will answer ; 
and I believe him to be trustworthy, 
at least to masters who may chime in 
with his humour, for I must inform 
you that he is a most extraordinary 
fellow, full of strange likes and anti- 
pathies, which he will gratify at any 
expense, either to himself or others. 
Perhaps he will attach himself to you, 
in which case you will find him highly 
valuable ; for, if he please, he can turn 
his hand to anything, and is not only 
acquainted with two, but half a dozen 
languages." 

" Is he a Spaniard ? " I inquired. 

" I will send him to you. to-morrow," 
said Borrego, " you will best learn from 
his own mouth who and what he is." 

The next day, as I had just sat down 



to my " sopa," my hostess informed me 
that a man wished to speak to me. 
" Admit him," said I, and he almost 
instantly made his appearance. He 
was dressed respectably in the French 
fashion, and had rather a juvenile look, 
though I subsequently learned that he 
was considerably above forty. He was 
somewhat above the middle stature, 
and might have been called well made, 
had it not been for his meagreness, 
which was rather remarkable. His 
arms were long and bony, and his 
whole form conveyed an idea of great 
activity united with no slight degree 
of strength : his hair was wiry, but of 
jetty blackness ; his forehead low ; his 
eyes small and grey, expressive of 
much subtlety and no less malice, 
strangely relieved by a strong dash of 
humour ; the nose was handsome, but 
the mouth was immensely wide, and 
his under jaw projected considerably. 
A more singular physiognomy I had 
never seen, and I continued staring at 
him for some time in silence. " Who 
are you ? " I at last demanded. 

" Domestic in search of a master," 
answered the man in good French, 
but in a strange accent. " I come re- 
commended to you, my Lor, by Mon- 
sieur B." 

Myself. — Of what nation may yon 
be ? Are you French or Spanish ? 

Man. — God forbid that I should be 
either, mi Lor, fax Vhonneur d'etre de 
la nation Grecque, my name is Antonio 
Buchini, native of Pera the Belle near 
to Constantinople. 

Myself. — And what brought you to 
Spain ? 

Buchini. — Mi Lor, je vais yous ra- 
conter mon histoire da commencement 
jusqu'ici : — my father was a native of 
Sceira in Greece, from whence at an 
early age he repaired to Pera, where 
he served as janitor in the hotels of 
various ambassadors, by whom he was 
much respected for his fidelity. Amongst 
others of these gentlemen, he served 
him of your own nation : this occurred 
at the time that there was war between 
England and the Porte.* Monsieur 

* This was possibly the period -when Ad 
miral Duckworth attempted to force the pas- 
sage of the Dardanelles. 



U2 



THE BIBI E IN SPAIN. 



[THAP. XIX. 



the Ambassador had to escape for his 
life, leaving the greater part of his va- 
luables to the care of my father, who 
concealed them at his own great risk, 
and when the dispute was settled, re- 
stored them to Monsieur, even to the 
most inconsiderable trinket. I men- 
tion this circumstance to show you that 
I am of a family which cherishes prin- 
ciples of honour, and in which con- 
fidence may be placed. My father 
married a daughter of Pera, et moije 
suis V unique fruit de ce mariage. Of 
my mother I know nothing, as she died 
shortly after my birth. A family of 
wealthy Jews took pity on my forlorn 
condition and offered to bring me up, 
to which my father gladly consented ; 
and with them I continued several 
years, until I was a beau garcon ; they 
were very fond of me, and at last 
offered to adopt me, and at their death 
to bequeath me all they had, on con- 
dition of my becoming a Jew. Mais 
la circoncision n'e'toit guere a mon gout ; 
especially that of the JeAvs, for I am a 
Greek, am proud, and have principles 
of honour. I quitted them, therefore, 
saying that if ever I allowed myself to 
be converted, it should be to the faith 
of the Turks, for they are men, are 
proud, and have principles of honour 
like myself. I then returned to my 
father, who procured me various situ- 
ations, none of which were to my lik- 
ing, until I was placed in the house of 
Monsieur Zea. 

Myself. — You mean, I suppose, Zea 
Bermudez, who chanced to be at Con- 
stantinople. 

Buchini. — Just so, mi Lor, and with 
him I continued during his stay. He 
put great confidence in me, more espe- 
cially as I spoke the pure Spanish lan- 
guage, which I acquired amongst the 
Jews, who, as I have heard Monsieur 
Zea say, speak it better than the present 
natives of Spain. 

I shall not follow the Greek step by 
step throughout his history, which was 
rather lengthy : suffice it to say, that 
he was brought by Zea Bermudez from 
Constantinople to Spain, where he con- 
tinued in his service for many years, 
and from whose house he was expelled 
for marrying a Guipuscoan damsel, 



who was fille de chambre to Madame 
Zea ; since which time it appeared 
that he had served an infinity of mas- 
ters ; sometimes as valet, sometimes as 
cook, but generally in the last capacity. 
He confessed, however, that he had 
seldom continued more than three days 
in the same service, on account of the 
disputes which were sure to arise in 
the house almost immediately after his 
admission, and for which he could 
assign no other reason than his bemg 
a Greek, and having principles of 10- 
nour. Amongst other persons whom 
he had served was General Cordova, 
who he said was a bad paymaster, and 
was in the habit of maltreating his 
domestics. " But he found his match 
in me," said Antonio, " for. I was pre- 
pared for him ; and once, when he 
drew his sword against me, I pulled out 
a pistol and pointed it in his face. He 
grew pale as death, and from that hour 
treated me with all kinds of conde- 
scension. It was only pretence, how- 
ever, for the affair rankled in his mind ; 
he had determined upon revenge, and 
on being appointed to the command of 
the army, he was particularly anxious 
that I should attend him to the camp. 
Mais je lid ris au nez, made the sign 
of the cortamanga — asked for my 
wages, and left him ; and well it was 
that I did so, for the very domestic 
whom he took with him he caused to 
oe shot upon a charge of mutiny." 

" I am afraid," said I, " that you are 
of a turbulent disposition, and that the 
disputes to which you have alluded are 
solely to be attributed to the badness 
of your temper." 

" What would you have, Monsieur ? 
Moi je suis Grec, je suisfer, et fai des 
principes d'Jwnneur. I expect to be 
treated with a certain consideration, 
though I confess that my temper is 
none of the best, and that at times I am 
tempted to quarrel with the pots and 
pans in the kitchen. I think, upon the 
whole, that it will be for your advan- 
tage to engage me, and I promise you 
to be on my guard. There is one thing 
that pleases me relating to you, you 
are unmarried. Now, I would rather 
serve a young unmarried man for love 
and friendship, than a Benedict for fifty 



CFIAF. XIX. J 

dollars per month. Madame is sure to 
bate me, and so is her waiting-woman ; 
and more particularly the latter, be- 
cause I am a married man. I see that 
mi Lor is willing to engage me:' 

" But you say you are a married 
man," T replied ; " how can you desert 
your wife? for I am about to leave 
Madrid, and to travel into the remote 
and mountainous parts of Spain/' 

" My wife will receive the moiety of 
my wages, while I am absent, mi Lor, 
and therefore will have no reason to 
complain of being deserted. Complain ! 
did I say ; my wife is at present too 
well instructed to complain. She never 
speaks nor sits in my presence, unless 
[ give her permission. Am 1 not a 
Greek, and do I not know how to govern 
my own house ? Engage me, mi Lor ; 
I am a man of many capacities — a dis- 
creet valet, an excellent cook, a good 
groom and light rider ; in a word, I 
am PoufjiaiKos. What would you more ?" 

I asked him his terms, which were 
extravagant, notwithstanding his prin- 
cipes d honneur. I found, however, 
that he was willing to take one half. 

I had no sooner engaged him than, 



113 



seizing the tureen of soup, which had 
by this time become quite cold, he 
placed it on the top of his fore finger, 
or rather on the nail thereof, causing it 
to make various circumvolutions over 
his head, to my great astonishment, 
without spilling a drop, then springing 
with it to the door, he vanished, and in 
another moment made his appearance 
with the puehera, which, after a similar 
bound and flourish, he deposited on the 
table ; then suffering his hands to sink 
before him, he put one over the other, 
and stood at his ease, with half-shut 
eyes, for all the world as if he had been 
in my service twenty years. 

And in this manner Antonio Buchini 
entered upon his duties. Many was the 
wild spot to which he subsequently ac- 
companied me ; many the wild adven- 
ture of which he was the sharer. His 
behaviour was frequently in the highest 
degree extraordinary, but he served me 
courageously and faithfully: such a* 
valet, take him for all in all, 

" His like I ne'er expect to see a^ain*" 

Kosko biihh Anion. 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



r 3 



CHAPTER XX. 



Illness— Nocturnal Visit — A Master Mind— The Whisper — Salamanca — Irish Hospitality— 

Spanish Soldiers — The Scriptures advertised. 



But I am anxious to enter upon the 
narrative of my journey, and shall 
therefore abstain from relating to my 
readers a great many circumstances 
which occurred previously to my leav- 
ing Madrid on this expedition. About 
the middle of May I had got everything 
in readiness, and I bade farewell to my 
friends. Salamanca was the first place 
which I intended to visit. 

Some days previous to my departure 
I was very much indisposed, owing to 
the state of the weather, for violent and 
biting winds had long prevailed. I 
had been attacked with a severe cold, 
which terminated in a disagreeable 
cough, which the many remedies I suc- 
cessively tried seemed unable to subdue. 
I had made preparations for departing 
on a particular day, but, owing to the 
state of my health, I was apprehensive 
that I should be compelled to defer my 
journey for a time. The last day of 
my stay in Madrid, finding myself 
scarcely able to stand, I was fain to 
submit to a somewhat desperate experi- 
ment, and by the advice of the barber- 
surgeon who visited me, I determined 
to be bled. Late on the night of that * 
same day he took from me sixteen { 
ounces of blood, and having received 
his fee left me, wishing me a pleasant 
journey, and assuring me, upon his re- 
putation, that by noon the next day I 
should be perfectly recovered. 

A few minutes after his departure, 
whilst I was sitting alone, meditating 
on the journey which I was about to 
undertake, and on the rickety state of 
my jbtialth, I heard a loud knock at the 
street door of the house, on the third 
floor of which I was lodged. In another 
minute Mr. S****, of the British em- 
bassy, entered my apartment. After a 
little conversation, he informed me that 



Mr. Villiers had desired him to wait 
upon me to communicate a resolution 
which he had come to. Being appre- 
hensive that, alone and unassisted, I 
should experience great difficulty in 
propagating the Gospel of God to any 
considerable extent in Spain, he was 
bent upon exerting to the utmost his 
own credit and influence to further my 
views, which he himself considered, if 
carried into proper effect, extremely well 
calculated to operate beneficially on the 
political and moral state of the country. 
To this end it was his intention to pur- 
chase a very considerable number of 
copies of the New Testament, and to 
dispatch them forthwith to the various 
British consuls established in different 
parts of Spain, with strict and positive 
orders to employ all the means which 
their official situation should afford 
them to circulate the books in question, 
and to assure their being noticed. They 
were, moreover, to be charged to afford 
me, whenever I should appear in their 
respective districts, all the protection, 
encouragement, and assistance which I 
should stand in need of. 

I was of course much rejoiced on 
receiving this information, for, though 
I had long been aware that Mr. Villiers 
was at all times willing to assist me, 
he having frequently given me sufficient 
proof, I could never expect that he 
would come forward in so noble, and, 
to say the least of it, considering his 
high diplomatic situation, so bold and 
decided a manner. I believe that this 
was the first instance of a British am- 
bassador having made the cause of the 
Bible Society a national one, or indeed 
of having favoured it directly or indi- 
rectly. What renders the ease of Mr. 
Villiers more remarkable is tnat, on 
my first arrival at Madrid, 1 found him 



CHiVP. XX.] 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



by no means well disposed towards the 
Society. The Holy Spirit had probably 
i Hummed his mind on this point. I 
hoped that by his means our institution 
would shortly possess many agents in 
Spain, who, with far more power and 
better opportunities than I myself could 
ever expect to possess, would scatter 
abroad the seed of the Gospel, and make 
of a barren and thirsty wilderness a 
green and smiling corn-field. 

A word or two about the gentleman 
who paid me this nocturnal visit. 
Though he has probably long since for- 
gotten the humble circulator of the 
Bible in Spain, I still bear in mind 
numerous acts of kindness which I ex- 
perienced at his hands. Endowed with 
an intellect of the highest order, master 
of the lore of all Europe, profoundly 
versed in the ancient tongues, and speak- 
ing most of the modern dialects with 
remarkable facility — possessed, more- 
over, of a thorough knowledge of man- 
kind — he brought with him into the 
diplomatic career advantages such as 
few, even the most highly gifted, can 
boast of. During his sojourn in Spain 
he performed many eminent services 
for the government which employed 
him ; services which, I believe, it had 
sufficient discernment to see, and gra- 
titude to reward. He had to encounter, 
however, the full brunt of the low and 
stupid malignity of the party who, 
shortly after the time of which I am 
speaking, usurped the management of 
the affairs of Spain. This party, whose 
foolish manoeuvres he was continually 
discomfiting, feared and hated him as 
its evil genius, taking every opportunity 
of showering on his head calumnies the 
most improbable and absurd. Amongst 
other things, he was accused of having 
acted as an agent to the English govern- 
ment in the affair of the Granja, bring- 
ing about that revolution by bribing 
the mutinous soldiers, and more par- 
ticularly the notorious Sergeant Garcia. 
Such an accusation will of course merely 
extract a smile from those who are at 
all acquainted with the English cha- 
racter, and the general line of conduct 
pursued by the English government. 
It was a charge, however, universally 
believed in Spain, and was even pre- 



ferred in print by a certain journal, the 
official organ of the silly Duke of Frias, 
one of the many prime ministers of 
the moderado party who followed each 
other in rapid succession towards the 
latter period of the Carlist and Chris- 
tino struggle. But when did a calum- 
nious report ever fall to the ground in 
Spain by the weight of its own ab- 
surdity ? Unhappy land ! not until the 
pure light of the Gospel has illumined 
thee, wilt thou learn that the greatest of 
all gifts is charity ! 

The next day verified the prediction 
of the Spanish surgeon ; I had to a con- 
siderable degree lost my cough and 
fever, though, owing to the loss of 
blood, I was somewhat feeble. Pre- 
cisely at twelve o'clock the horses were 
led forth before the door of my lodging 
in the Calle de Santiago, and I prepared 
to mount ; but my black entero of An- 
dalusia would not permit me to approach 
his side, and, whenever I made the at- 
tempt, commenced wheeling round with 
great rapidity. 

" C'est im mauvais signe, mon maitre" 
said Antonio, who, dressed in a green 
jerkin, a Montero cap, and booted and 
spurred, stood ready to attend me, hold- 
ing by the bridle the horse which I had 
purchased from the contrabandista, " It 
is a bad sign, and in my country they 
would defer the journey till to-mor- 
row." 

" Are there whisperers in your coun- 
try?" I demanded; and taking the 
horse by the mane, I performed the ce- 
remony after the most approved fashion : 
the animal stood still, and I mounted 
the saddle, exclaiming : — ■ 

" The Rommany Chal to his horse did cry, 
As he placed the bit in his horse's jaw; 
Kosko gry ! Rommany gry ! 
Muk man kistur tute knaw." 

We then rode forth from Madrid by the 
gate of San Vincente, directing our 
course to the lofty mountains which se- 
parate Old from New Castile. That 
night we rested at Guadarama, a large 
village at their foot, distant from Ma- 
drid about seven leagues. Eising early 
on the following morning, we ascended 
the pass and entered into Old Castile. 

After crossing the mountains, the 
route to Salamanca lies almost entirely 

I 2 



116 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



[ CHAP. XX. 



over sandy and arid plains, interspersed 
here and there with thin and scanty 
groves of pine. No adventure worth 
relating occurred during this journey. 
We sold a few Testaments in the vil- 
lages through which we passed, more 
especially at Penaranda. About noon 
of the third day, on reaching the brow 
of a hillock, we saw a huge dome before 
us, upon which the fierce rays of the 
sun striking, produced the appearance 
of burnished gold. It belonged to the 
cathedral of Salamanca, and we flattered 
ourselves that we were already at our 
journey's end ; we were deceived, how- 
ever, being still four leagues distant 
from the town, whose churches and 
convents, towering up in gigantic 
masses, can be distinguished at an im- 
mense distance, flattering the traveller 
with an idea of propinquity which does 
not in reality exist. It was not till 
long after nightfall that we arrived at 
the city gate, which we found closed 
and guarded, in apprehension of a Car- 
list attack ; and having obtained admis- 
sion with some difficulty, we led our 
horses along dark, silent, and deserted 
streets, till we found an individual who 
directed us to a large, gloomy, and com- 
fortless posada, that of the Bull, which 
we, however, subsequently found was 
the best which the town afforded. 

A melancholy town is Salamanca; 
the days of its collegiate glory are long 
since past by, never more to return : a 
circumstance, however, which is little 
to be regretted ; for what benefit did the 
world ever derive from scholastic phi- 
losophy ? And for that alone was Sa- 
lamanca ever famous. Its halls are 
now almost silent, and grass is growing 
in its courts, which were once daily 
thronged by at least eight thousand 
students: a number to which, at the 
present day, . the entire population of 
the city does not amount. Yet, with 
all its melancholy, what an interesting, 
nay, what a magnificent place is Sala- 
manca ! How glorious are its churches, 
how stupendous are its deserted con- 
vents, and with what sublime but sullen 
grandeur do its huge and crumbling 
walls, which crown the precipitous 
bank of the Tonnes, look down upon the 
lovely river and its venerable bridge ! 



What a pity that, of the many rivers 
of Spain, scarcely one is navigable ! The 
beautiful but shallow Tormes, instead 
of proving a source of blessing and 
wealth to this part of Castile, is of no 
further utility than to turn the wheels 
of various small water mills, standing 
upon weirs of stone, which at certain 
distances traverse the river. 

My sojourn at Salamanca was ren- 
dered particularly pleasant by the kind 
attentions and continual acts of hospi- 
tality which I experienced from the in- 
mates of the Irish College, to the rector 
of which I bore a letter of recommenda- 
tion from my kind and excellent friend 
Mr. O'Shea, the celebrated banker of 
Madrid. It will be long before I forget 
these Irish, more especially their head, 
Dr. Gartland, a genuine scion of the 
good Hibernian tree, an accomplished 
scholar, and a courteous and high- 
minded gentleman. Though fully aware 
who I was, he held out the hand of 
friendship to the wandering heretic mis- 
sionary, although by so doing he ex- 
posed himself to the rancorous remarks 
of the narrow-minded native clergy, who, 
in their ugly shovel hats and long 
cloaks, glared at me askance as I passed 
by their whispering groups beneath the 
piazzas of the Plaza. But when did 
the fear of consequences cause an Irish- 
man to shrink from the exercise of the 
duties of hospitality ? However attached 
to his religion— and who is so attached 
to the Romish creed as the Irishman ? — 
I am convinced that not all the au- 
thority of the Pope or the Cardinals 
would induce him to close his doors on 
Luther himself, were that respectable 
personage at present alive and in need 
of food and refuge. 

Honour to Ireland and her " hundred 
thousand welcomes !" Her fields have 
long been the greenest in fht world; 
her daughters the fairest ; her sons the 
bravest and most eloquent. May they 
never cease to be so ! 

The posada where I had put up was 
a good specimen of the old Spanish inn, 
being much the same as those described 
in the time of Philip the Third or 
Fourth. The rooms were many and 
large, floored with either brick or stone, 
generally with an alcove at the end. in 



CHAP. XX.] 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



117 



which stood a wretched flock bed. Be- 
hind the house was a court, and in the 
rear of this a stable, full of horses, po- 
nies, mules, machos, and donkeys, for 
there was no lack of guests, who, how- 
ever, for the most part slept in the 
stable with their caballerias, being 
either arrieros or small peddling mer- 
chants who travelled the country with 
coarse cloth or linen. Opposite to my 
room in the corridor lodged a wounded 
officer, who had just arrived from San 
Sebastian on a galled broken-kneed 
pony : he was an Estrimenian, and was 
returning to his own village to be cured. 
He was attended by three broken sol- 
diers, lame or maimed, and unfit for 
service: they told me that they were 
of the same village as his worship, and 
on that account he permitted them to 
travel with him. They slept amongst 
the litter, and throughout the day 
lounged about the house smoking paper 
cigars. I never saw them eating, though 
they frequently went to a dark cool 
corner, where stood a bota or kind of 
water pitcher, which they held about 
six inches from their black filmy lips, 
permitting the liquid to trickle down 
their throats. They said they had no 
pay, and were quite destitute of money, 
that su merced the officer occasionally 
gave them a piece of bread, but that he 
himself was poor and had only a few 
dollars. Brave guests for an inn, 
thought I ; yet, to the honour of Spain 
be it spoken, it is one of the few coun- 
tries in Europe where poverty is never 
insulted nor looked upon with con- 
tempt. Even at an inn, the poor man 
is never spurned from the door, and if 
not harboured, is at least dismissed with 
fair words, and consigned to the mer- 
cies of God and his mother. This is 
as it should be. I laugh at the bigotry 
and prejudices of Spain; I abhor the 
cruelty and ferocity which have cast a 
stain of eternal infamy on her history ; 
but I will say for the Spaniards, that in 
their social intercourse no people in the 
world exhibit a juster feeling of what 
is due to the dignity of human nature, 
or better understand the behaviour 
which it behoves a man to adopt to- 
wards his fellow beings. I have said that 



it is one of the few countries in Europe 
where poverty is not treated with con- 
tempt, and 1 may add, where the wealthy 
are not blindly idolized. In Spain the 
very beggar does not feel himself a de- 
graded being, for he kisses no one"s 
feet, and knows not what it is to be 
cuffed or spitten upon; and in Spain 
the duke or the marquis can scarcely 
entertain a very overweening opinion of 
his own consequence, as he finds no one, 
with perhaps the exception of his French 
valet, to fawn upon or flatter him. 

During my stay at Salamanca I took 
measures that the word of God might 
become generally known in this cele- 
brated city. The principal bookseller 
of the town, Blanco, a man of great 
wealth and respectability, consented to 
become my agent here, and I in conse- 
quence deposited in his shop a certain 
number of New Testaments. He was 
the proprietor of a small printing-press, 
where the official bulletin of the place 
was published. For this bulletin I pre- 
pared an advertisement of the work, in 
which, amongst other things, I said 
that the New Testament was the only 
guide to salvation ; I also spoke of the 
Bible Society, and the great pecuniary 
sacrifices which it was making with the 
view of proclaiming Christ crucified, 
and of making his doctrine known. 
This step will perhaps be considered by 
some as too bold, but I was not aware 
that I could take any more calculated 
to arouse the attention of the people — a 
considerable point. I also ordered num- 
bers of the same advertisement to be 
struck off in the shape of bills, which I 
caused to be stuck up in various parts 
of the tOAvn. I had great hope that by 
means of these a considerable number 
of New Testaments would be sold. I 
intended to repeat this experiment in 
Valladolid, Leon, St. Jago, and all the 
principal towns which I visited, and to 
distribute them likewise as I rode along : 
the children of Spain would thus be 
brought to know that such a work as 
the New Testament is in existence, a 
fact of which not five in one hundred 
were then aware, notwithstanding their 
so frequently repeated boasts of their 
Catholicity and Christianity. 



CHAPTER XXI. 

Departure from Salamanca — Reception at Pitiegua — The Dilemma— Sudden Inspiration — Tlia 
Good Presbyter — Combat of Quadrupeds — Irish Christians — Plains of Spain — The Catalans 
— The Fatal Pool— Valladolid — Circulation of the Scripture — Philippine Missions — English 
College— A Conversation — The Gaoleress. 



Ox Saturday, the 10th of June, I left 
Salamanca for Valladolid. As the vil- 
lage where we intended to rest was only 
five leagues distant, we did not sally 
forth till midday was past. There was 
a haze in the heavens which overcast 
the sun, nearly hiding his countenance 
from our view. My friend, Mr. Pa- 
trick Cantwell, of the Irish College, 
was kir.d enough to ride with me part 
of the way. He was mounted on a 
most sorry-looking hired mule, which I 
expected would be unable to keep pace 
with the spirited horses of myself and 
man ; for he seemed to be twin-brother 
of the mule of Gil Perez, on which his 
nephew made his celebrated journey 
from Oviedo to Penanor. I was, how- 
ever, very much mistaken. The crea- 
ture, on being mounted, instantly set off 
at that rapid walk which I have so often 
admired in Spanish mules, and which 
no horse can emulate. Our more stately 
animals were speedily left in the rear, 
and we were continually obliged to 
break into a trot to follow the singular 
quadruped, who, ever and anon, would 
lift his head high in the air, curl up his 
lip, and show his yellow teeth, as if he 
were laughing at us, as perhaps he was. 
It chanced that none of us were well 
acquainted with the road ; indeed, I 
could see nothing which was fairly en- 
titled to that appellation. The way from 
Salamanca to Valladolid is amongst a 
medley of bridle-paths and drift-ways, 
where discrimination is very difficult. 
It was not long before we were bewil- 
dered, and travelled over more ground 
than was strictly necessary. However, 
as men and women frequently passed on 
donkeys and little pouies, we were not 
too proud to be set right by them, and 



by dint of diligent inquiry we at length 
arrived at Pitiegua, four leagues from 
Salamanca, a small village, containing 
about fifty families, consisting of mud 
huts, and situated in the midst of dusty 
plains, where corn was growing in 
abundance. We asked for the house of 
the cura, an old man whom I had seen 
the day before at the Irish College, and 
who, on being informed that I was 
about to depart for Valladolid, had ex- 
acted from me a promise that I would 
not pass through his village without 
paying him a visit and partaking of his 
hospitality. 

A woman directed us to a cottage 
somewhat superior in appearance to 
those contiguous. It had a small por- 
tico, which, if I remember well, was 
overgrown with a vine. We knocked 
loud and long at the door, but received 
no answer ; the voice of man was silent, 
and not even a dog barked. The truth 
was, that the old curate was taking his 
siesta, and so were his whole family, 
which consisted of one ancient female 
and a cat. The good man was at last 
disturbed by our noise and vociferation, 
for we were hungry, and consequently 
impatient. Leaping from his couch, 
he came running to the door in great 
hurry and confusion, and, perceiving 
us, he made many apologies for being 
asleep at a period when, he said, he 
ought to have been on the look-out for 
his invited guest. He embraced me 
very affectionately, and conducted me 
into his parlour, an apartment of toler- 
able size, hung round with shelves, 
which were crowded with books. At 
one end there was a kind of table or 
desk covered with black leather, with a 
large easy chair, into which he ^pushed 



CHAP. XXI.] 



THE BIBLE 



IN SPAIN. 



119 



me, as I, with the true eagerness of a 
bibliomaniac, was about to inspect his 
shelves ; saying, with considerable ve- 
hemence, that there was nothing there 
worthy of the attention of an English- 
man, for that his whole stock consisted 
of breviaries and dry Catholic treatises 
on divinity. 

His care now was to furnish us with 
refreshments. In a twinkling, with 
the assistance of his old attendant, he 
placed on the table several plates of 
cakes and confectionery, and a number 
of large uncouth glass bottles, which I 
thought bore a strong resemblance to 
those of Schiedam, and indeed they 
were the very same. " There,'' said 
he, rubbing his hands ; " I thank God 
that it is in my" power to treat you in a 
way which will be agreeable to you. 
In those bottles there is Hollands, 
thirty years old f and producing two 
large tumblers, he continued, " fill, my 
friends, and drink — drink it every drop 
if you please, for it is of little use to 
myself, who seldom drink aught but 
water. I know that you islanders love 
it, and cannot live without it ; therefore, 
since it does you good, I am only sorry 
that there is no more." 

Observing that we contented our- 
selves with merely tasting it, he looked 
at us with astonishment, and inquired 
the reason of our not drinking. We 
told him that we seldom drank ardent 
spirits : and I added, that as for myself, 
. seldom tasted even wine, but, like 
himself, was content with the use of 
water. He appeared somewhat incre- 
dulous ; but, told us to do exactly what 
we pleased, and to ask for what was 
agreeable to us. We told him that we 
had not dined, and should be glad of 
some substantial refreshment. " I am 
afraid," said he, " that I have nothing 
in the house which will suit you ; how- 
ever, we will go and see." 

Thereupon he led us through a small 
yard at the back part of his house, 
which might have been called a garden 
or orchard if it had displayed either 
trees or flowers; but it produced no- 
thing but grass, which was growing in 
luxuriance. At one end was a large 
pigeon- house, which we all entered: 
" for," said the curate, " if we could 



find some nice delicate pigeons they 
would afford you an excellent dinner." 
We were, however, disappointed: for, 
after rummaging the nests, we only 
found very young ones, unfitted for our 
purpose. The good man became very 
melancholy, and said he had some mis- 
givings that we should have to depart 
dinnerless. Leaving the pigeon-house, 
he conducted us to a place where there 
were several skeps of bees, round which 
multitudes of the busy insects were 
hovering, filling the air with their mu- 
sic. " Next to my fellow-creatures," 
said he, " there is nothing which I love 
so dearly as these bees ; it is one of my 
delights to sit watching them, and lis- 
tening to their murmur." We next 
went to several unfurnished rooms, 
fronting the yard, in one of which were 
hanging several flitches of bacon, be- 
neath which he stopped, and, looking 
up, gazed intently upon them. We 
told him that, if he had nothing better 
to offer, we should be very glad to eat 
some slices of this bacon, especially if 
some eggs were added. " To tell the 
truth," said he, " I have nothing better, 
and if you can content yourselves with 
such fare I shall be very happy ; as for 
eggs you can have as many as you 
wish, and perfectly fresh, for my hens 
lay every day." 

So, after everything was prepared 
and arranged to our satisfaction, we sat 
down to dine on the bacon and eggs, in 
a small room, not the one to which he 
had ushered us at first, but on the other 
side of the doorway. The good curate, 
though he ate nothing, having taken 
his meal long before, sat at the head of 
the table, and the repast was enlivened 
by his chat. "There, my friends," 
said he, " where you are now seated, 
once sat Wellington and Crawford, 
after they had beat the French at Ara- 
piles, and rescued us from the thraldom 
of those wicked people. I never re- 
spected my house so much as I have 
done since they honoured it with their 
presence. They were heroes, and one 
was a demi-god." He then burst into 
a most eloquent panegyric of El Gran 
Lord, as he termed him, which I should 
be very happy to translate, were my 
pen capable of rendering into English 



120 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



[chap. XXI. 



the robust thundering sentences of his 
powerful Castilian. I had till then 
considered him a plain, uninformed old 
man, almost simple, and as incapable of 
much emotion as a tortoise within its 
shell; but he had become at once in- 
spired: his eyes were replete with a 
bright fire, and every muscle of his face 
was quivering. The little silk skull- 
cap which he wore, according to the 
custom of the Catholic clergy, moved 
up and down with his agitation ■ and I 
soon saw that I was in the presence of 
one of those remarkable men who so 
frequently spring up in the bosom of 
tha Romish church, and who to a child- 
like simplicity unite immense energy 
and power of mind, — equally adapted 
to guide a scanty tiock of ignorant rus- 
tics in some obscure village in Italy or 
Spain, as to convert millions of hea- 
thens on the shores of Japan, China, 
and Paraguay. 

He was a thin spare man, of about 
sixty-five, and was dressed in a black 
cloak of very coarse materials ; nor 
were his other garments of superior 
quality. This plainness, however, in 
the appearance of his outward man was 
by no means the result of poverty; 
quite the contrary. The benefice was 
a very plentiful one, and placed at his 
disposal annually a sum of at least 
eight hundred dollars, of which the 
eighth part was more than sufficient to 
defray the expenses of his house and 
himself; the rest was devoted entirely 
to the purest acts of charity. He fed 
the hungry wanderer, and despatched 
him singing on his way, with meat in 
his wallet and a peseta in his purse ; 
and his parishioners, when in need of 
money, had only to repair to his study 
and were sure of an immediate supply. 
He was, indeed, the banker of the vil- 
lage, and what he lent he neither ex- 
pected nor wished to be returned. 
Though under the necessity of making 
frequent journeys to Salamanca, he 
kept no mule, but contented himself 
with an ass, borrowed from the neigh- 
bouring miller. " I once kept a mule," 
said he : " but some years since it was 
removed without my permission by a 
traveller whom I had housed for the 
night: for in that alcove I keep two 



clean beds for the use of the wayfaring, 
and I shall be very much pleased if 
yourself and friend will occupy them, 
and tarry with me till the morning/' 

But I was eager to continue my 
journey, and my friend was no less 
anxious to return to Salamanca. Upon 
taking leave of the hospitable curate, I 
presented him with a copy of the New 
Testament. He received it without 
uttering a single word, and placed it 
on one of the shelves of his study ; but I 
observed him nodding significantly to 
the Irish student, perhaps as much as 
to say, " Your friend loses no oppor- 
tunity of propagating his book ;" for he 
was well aware who I was. I shall not 
speedily forget the truly good presbyter, 
Antonio Garcia de Aguilar, Cura of 
Pitiegua. 

We reached Pedroso shortly before 
nightfall. It was a small village, con- 
taining about thirty houses, and inter- 
sected by a rivulet, or, as it is called, a 
regata. On its banks women and maid- 
ens were washing their linen, and sing- 
ing couplets ; the church stood lone and 
solitary on the farther side. We in- 
quired for the posada, and were shown 
a cottage, differing nothing from the 
rest in general appearance. We called 
at the door in vain, as it is not the cus- 
tom of Castile for the people of these 
halting-places to go out to welcome 
their visitors : at last we dismounted 
and entered the house, demanding of a 
sullen looking woman where we were 
to place the horses. She said there was 
a stable within the house, but we could 
not put the animals there, as it con- 
tained malos machos (savage mutes) be- 
longing to two travellers, who would 
certainly fight with our horses, and 
then there would be a funcion, which 
would tear the house down. She then 
pointed to an out-house across the way, 
saying that we could stable them there. 
We entered this place, which we found 
full of filth and swine, with a door 
without a lock. I thought of the fate 
of the cura's mule, and was unwilling 
to trust the horses in such a place, 
abandoning them to the mercy of any 
robber in the neighbourhood. I there- 
fore entered the house, and said reso- 
lutely that I was determined to place 



CRAP. XXI.] 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



121 



them in the stable. Two men were 
squatted on the ground, with an im- 
mense bowl of stewed hare before them, 
on which they were supping; these 
were the travelling merchants, the mas- 
ters of the mutes. I passed on to the 
stable, one of the men saying softly, 
" Yes, yes, go in and see what will be- 
fall." I had no sooner entered the 
stable than I heard a horrid discordant 
cry, something between a bray and a 
yell, and the largest of the machos, 
tearing his head from the manger to 
which he was fastened, his eyes shooting 
flames, and breathing a whirlwind from 
his nostrils, flung himself on my stallion. 
The horse, as savage as himself, reared 
on his hind legs, and, after the fashion of 
an English pugilist, repaid the other 
with a pat on the forehead, which 
nearly felled him. A combat instantly 
ensued, and I thought that the words of 
the sullen woman would be verified by 
the house being torn to pieces. It 
ended by my seizing the mute by the 
halter, at the risk of my limbs, and 
hanging upon him with all my weight, 
whilst Antonio, with much difficulty, 
removed the horse. The man who had 
been standing at the entrance now came 
forward, saying, " This would not have 
happened if you had taken good ad- 
vice." Upon my stating to him the 
unreasonableness of expecting that I 
would risk horses in a place where 
hey would probably be stolen before 
he morning, he replied, " True, true, 
you have perhaps done right." He 
then re-fastened his macho, adding for 
additional security a piece of whipcord, 
which he said rendered escape impos- 
sible. 

After supper, I roamed about the vil- 
lage. I addressed two or three labour- 
ers whom I found standing at their 
^.oc rs ; they appeared, however, ex- 
ceedingly reserved, and with a gruff 
* buenas noches " turned into their 
houses without inviting me to enter. I 
at last found my way to the church 
porch, where I continued some time in 
meditation. At last I bethought my- 
self of retiring to rest ; before depart- 
ing, however, I took out and affixed to 
the porch of the church an advertise- 
ment to the effect that the New Testa- 



ment was to be purchased at Salamanca. 
On returning to the house, I found the 
two travelling merchants enjoying pro* 
found slumber on various mantas, or 
mule-cloths, stretched on the floor. 
" You are a French merchant, I sup- 
pose, Caballero," said a man, who it 
seemed w r as the master of the house, and 
whom I had not before seen. " You 
are a French merchant, I suppose, and 
are on the way to the fair of Medina." 
" I am neither Frenchman nor mer- 
chant," I replied, " and, though I pur- 
pose passing through Medina, it is not 
with the view of attending the fair." 
" Then you are one of the Irish Chris- 
tians from Salamanca, Caballero," said 
the man ; " I hear you come from that 
town." " Why do you call them Irish 
Christians ? " I replied. " Are there 
pagans in their country ? " " We call 
them Christians," said the man, " to 
distinguish them from the Irish Eng- 
lish, who are worse than pagans, who 
are Jews and heretics." I made no 
answer, but passed on to the room 
which had been prepared for me, and 
from which, the door being ajar, I 
heard the following short conversation 
passing between the innkeeper and his 
wife : — 

Innkeeper. — Muger, it appears to me 
that we have evil guests in the house. 

Wife. — You mean the last corners, 
the Caballero and his servant. Yes, I 
never saw worse countenances in my life. 

Innkeeper. — I do not like the servant, 
and still less the master. He has nei- 
ther formality nor politeness : he tells 
me that he is not French, and when I 
spoke to him of the Irish Christians, he 
did not seem to belong to them. I 
more than suspect that he is a heretic, 
or a Jew at least. 

Wife. — Perhaps they are both. Ma- 
ria Santissima! what shall we do to 
purify the house when they are gone ? 

Innkeeper. — O, as for that matter, we 
must of course charge it in the cuenta. 

I slept soundly, and rather late in 
the morning arose and breakfasted, and 
paid the bill, in which, by its extrava- 
gance, I found the purification had not 
been forgotten. The travelling mer- 
chants had departed at daybreak. We 
now led forth the horses, and mounted ; 



122 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



[CFIAP. XXI. 



there were several people at the door 
staring at us. " What is the meaning 
of this ? " said I to Antonio. 

4 it is whispered that we are no 
Chrisaans," said Antonio ; " they have 
come to cross themselves at our depar- 
ture." 

In effect, the moment that we rode 
forward a dozen hands at least were 
busied in this evil-averting ceremony. 
Antonio instantly turned and crossed 
himself in the Greek fashion, — much 
more complex and difficult than the 
Catholic. 

" Mirad que Santiguo ! que Santiguo 
dc los demonios Z " * exclaimed many 
voices, whilst for fear of consequences 
we hastened away. 

The day was exceedingly hot, and we 
wended our way slowly along the plains 
of Old Castile. With all that pertains 
to Spain, vastness and sublimity are 
associated : grand are its mountains, 
and no less grand are its plains, which 
seem of boundless extent, but which are 
not tame unbroken flats, like the steppes 
of Russia. Rough and uneven ground 
is continually occurring : here a deep 
ravine and gully worn by the wintry 
torrent; yonder an eminence not un- 
frequently craggy and savage, at whose 
top appears the lone solitary village. 
There is little that is blithesome and 
cheerful, but much that is melancholy. 
A few solitary rustics are occasionally 
seen toiling in the fields — fields without 
limit or boundary, where the green oak, 
the elm, or the ash are unknown ; where 
only the sad and desolate pine displays 
its pyramid-like form, and where no 
grass" is to be found. And who are the 
travellers of these districts ? For the 
most part arrieros, with their long 
trains of mules hung with monotonous 
tinkling bells. Behold them with their 
brown faces, brown dresses, and broad 
slouched hats ; — the arrieros, the true 
lords of the roads of Spain, and to 
whom more respect is paid in these dusty 
ways than to dukes and condes ; — the 
arrieros, sullen, proud, and rarely cour- 
teous, whose deep voices may be some- 
times heard at the distance of a mile, 
either cheering the sluggish animals, or 

* " See the crossing ! see what devilish cross- 
ing!" 



shortening the dreary way with savage 
and dissonant songs. 

Late in the afternoon we reached 
Medina del Campo, formerly one of the 
principal cities of Spain, though at pre- 
sent an inconsiderable place. Immense 
ruins surround it in every direction, at- 
testing the former grandeur of this 
" city of the plain." The great square 
or market-place is a remarkable spot, 
surrounded by a heavy massive piazza, 
over which rise black buildings of 
great antiquity. We found the town 
crowded with people awaiting the fair, 
which was to be held in a day or two. 
We experienced some difficulty in 
obtaining admission into the posada, 
which was chiefly occupied by Cata- 
lans from Valladolid. These people 
not only brought with them their mer- 
chandise, but their wives and children. 
Some of them appeared to be people of 
the worst description : there was one in 
particular, a burly savage-looking fel- 
low, of about forty, whose conduct was 
atrocious ; he sat with his wife, or per- 
haps concubine, at the door of a room 
which opened upon the court : he was 
continually venting horrible and ob- 
scene oaths, both in Spanish and Cata- 
lan. The woman was remarkably hand- 
some, but robust, and seemingly as 
savage, as himself ; her conversation 
likewise was as frightful as his own. 
Both seemed to be under the influence 
of an incomprehensible fury. At last, 
upon some observation from the wo- 
man/he started up, and drawing a long 
knife from his girdle, stabbed at her 
naked bosom ; she, however, interposed 
the palm of her hand, which was much 
cut. He stood for a moment viewing 
the blood trickling upon the ground* 
whilst she held up her wounded hand, 
then, with an astounding oath, he hur- 
ried up the court to the Plaza. I went 
up to the woman and said, " W T hat is 
the cause of this ? I hope the ruffian 
has not seriously injured you." She 
turned her countenance upon me with 
the glance of a demon, and at last with 
a sneer of contempt exclaimed, " Ca- 
rafe, que es eso2- Cannot a Catalan 
gentleman be conversing with his lady 
upon their own private affairs without 
being interrupted by you ? " She then 



CHAP. XXI. j 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



123 



bound up her hand with a handkerchief, 
and going into the room brought a 
small table to the door, on which she 
placed several things, as if for the even- 
ing's repast, and then sat down on a 
stool : presently returned the Catalan, 
and without a word took his seat on the 
threshold ; then, as if nothing had oc- 
curred, the extraordinary, couple com- 
menced eating and drinking, interlard- 
ing their meal with oaths and jests. 

We spent the night at Medina, and 
departing early next morning, passed 
through much the same country as the 
day before, until about noon we reached 
a small venta, distant half a league 
from the Duero ; her* 1 w e reposed our- 
selves during the heat of the day, and 
then, remounting, crossed the river by 
a handsome stone bridge, and directed 
our course to Valladolid. The banks 
of the Duero in this place have much 
beauty : they abound with trees and 
* brushwood, amongst which, as we pass- 
ed along, various birds were singing 
melodiously. A delicious coolness pro- 
ceeded from the water, which in some 
parts brawled over stones or rippled 
fleetly over white sand, and in others 
glided softly over blue pools of con- 
siderable depth. By the side of one of 
these last sat a woman of about thirty, 
neatly dressed as a peasant; she was 
gazing upon the water, into which she 
occasionally flung flowers and twigs of 
trees. I stopped for a moment to ask 
a question ; she, however, neither looked 
up nor answered, but continued gazing 
at the water as if lost to consciousness 
of all beside'. " Who is that woman ?" 
said I to a shepherd, whom I met the 
moment after. " She is mad, la pobre- 
cita," said he: " she lost her child 
about a month ago in that pool, and 
she has been mad ever since ; they are 
going to send her to Valladolid, to the 
Casa de los Locos. There are many 
who perish every year in the eddies of 
the Duero ; it is a bad river ; vat/a 
listed con la Virgen, Caballero" So I 
rode on through the pinares, or thin 
scanty pine-forests, which skirt the way 
to Valladolid in this direction. 

Valladolid is seated in the midst of 
an immense valley, or rather hollow, 
which seems to have been scooped by- 



some mighty convulsion out of the plain 
ground of Castile. The eminences 
which appear in the neighbourhood are 
not properly high grounds, but are 
rather the sides of this hollow They 
are jagged and precipitous, ana exhibit 
a strange and uncouth appearance. 
Volcanic force seems at some distant 
period to have been busy in these dis- 
tricts. Valladolid abounds with con- 
vents, at present deserted, which afford 
some of the finest specimens of archi- 
tecture in Spain. The principal church, 
though rather ancient, is unfinished : it 
was intended to be a building of vast 
size, but the means of the founders were 
insufficient to cajTy out their plan : it 
is built of rougl? granite. Valladolid 
is a manufacturing town, but the com- 
merce is chiefly in the hands of the 
Catalans, of whom there is a colony of 
nearly three hundred established here. 
It possesses a beautiful alameda, or 
public walk, through which flows the 
river Escurva. The population is said 
to amount to sixty thousand souls. 

We put up at the Posada de las Dili- 
gen cias, a veiy magnificent edifice : 
this posada, however, we were glad to 
quit on the second day after our arrival, 
the accommodation being of the most 
wretched description, and the incivility 
of the people great; the master of the 
house, an immense tall fellow, with 
huge moustaches and an assumed mili- 
tary air, being far too high a cavalier 
to attend to the wants of his guests, 
with whom, it is true, he did not ap- 
pear to be overburdened, as I saw no 
one but Antonio and myself. He was 
a leading man amongsi the national 
guards of Valladolid, and delighted in 
parading about the city on a clumsy 
steed, which he kept in a subterranean 
stable. 

Our next quarters were at the Trojan 
Horse, an ancient posada, kept by a 
native of the Basque provinces, who at 
least was not above his business. We 
found every thing in confusion at Valla- 
dolid, a visit from the factious being 
speedily expected. All the gates were 
blockaded, and various forts had been 
built to cover the approaches to the 
city. Shortly after our departure the 
Carlists actually did arrive, under the 



124 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



[CHAP. XXI, 



command of the Biscayan chief, Za.ria- | 
tegui. They experienced no opposi- 
tion ; the staunchest nationals retiring 
to the principal fort, which they, how- 
ever, speedily surrendered, not a gun 
being fired throughout the affair. As 
for my friend the hero of the inn, on 
the first rumour of the approach of the 
enemy, he mounted his horse and rode 
off, and was never subsequently heard 
of. On our return to Valladolid, we 
found the inn in other and better hands, 
these of a Frenchman from Bayonne, 
from whom we received as much civi- 
lity as we had experienced rudeness 
from his predecessor. 

In a few days I formed the acquaint- 
ance of the bookseller of the place, a 
kind-hearted simple man, who willingly 
undertook the charge of vending the 
Testaments which I brought. 

I found literature of every descrip- 
tion at the lowest ebb at Valladolid. 
My newly acquired friend merely car- 
ried on bookselling in connexion with 
other business ; it being, as he assured 
me, in itself quite insufficient to afford 
him a livelihood. During the week, 
however, that I continued in this city, 
a considerable number of copies were 
disposed of, and a fair prospect opened 
that many more would be demanded. 
To call attention to my books, I had 
recourse to the same plan which I had 
adopted at Salamanca, the affixing of 
advertisements to the walls. Before 
leaving the city I gave orders that these 
should be renewed every week ; from 
pursuing which course I expected that 
much and manifold good would accrue, 
as the people would have continual op- 
portunities of learning that a book 
which contains the living word was in 
existence, and within their reach, which 
might induce them to secure it, and 
consult it even unto salvation. . . . 



In Valladolid I found both an English 
and Scotch College. From my obliging 
friends, the Irish at Salamanca, I bore 
a letter of introduction to the rector of 
the latter. I found this college an old 
gloomy edifice, situated in a retired 
street. The rector was dressed in the 
habiliments of a Spanish ecclesiastic, a 
character which he was evidently am- 



| bitious of assuming. There was some- 
thing dry and cold in his manner, and 
nothing of that generous warmth and 
eager hospitality which had so capti- 
vated me in the fine Irish rector of 
Salamanca ; he was, ho wever, civil and 
polite, and offered to show me the 
curiosities of the place. He evidently 
knew who I was, and on that account 
was, perhaps, more reserved than he 
otherwise would have been : not a word 
passed between us on religious matters, 
which we seemed to avoid by common 
consent. Under the auspices of this 
gentleman, I visited the college of the 
Philippine Missions, which stands be- 
yond the gate of the city, where I was 
introduced to the superior, a fine old 
man of seventy, very stout, in the ha- 
biliments of a friar. There was an air 
of placid benignity on his countenance 
which highly interested me : his words 
were few and simple, and he seemed to 
have bid adieu to all worldly passions. • 
One little weakness was, however, still 
clinging to him. 

Myself. — This is a noble edifice in 
which you dwell, Father ; I should 
think it would contain at least two 
hundred students. 

Rector. — More, my son : it is intended 
for more hundreds than it now contains 
single individuals. 

Myself. — I observe that some rude 
attempts have been made to fortify it ; 
the walls are pierced with loopholes in 
every direction. 

Rector. — The nationals of Valladolid 
visited us a few days ago, and com- 
mitted much useless damage ; they were 
rather rude, and threatened me with 
their clubs : poor men, poor men ! 

Myself — I suppose that even these 
missions, which are certainly intended 
for a noble end, experience the sad 
effects of the present convulsed state of 
Spain ? 

Rector. — But too true.: we at present 
receive no assistance from the govern- 
ment, and are left to the Lord and our- 
selves. 

Myself. — How many aspirants for the 
mission are you at present instructing ? 

Rector. — Not one, my son ; not one. 
They are all fled. The flock is scat- 
tered, and the shepherd left alone. 



CHAP. XXI.] 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



125 



Myself. — Your reverence has doubt- 
less taken an active part in the mission 
abroad ? 

Rector. — I was forty years in the 
Philippines, my son, forty years amongst 
the Indians. Ah me ! how I love those 
Indians of the Philippines ! 

Myself. — Can your reverence dis- 
course in the language of the Indians ? 

Rector. — No, my son. We teach 
the Indians Castilian. There is no 
better language, I believe. We teach 
them Castilian, and the adoration of the 
Virgin. What more need they know ? 

Myself. — And what did your reve- 
rence think of the Philippines as a 
country ? 

Rector. — I was forty years in the 
Philippines, but I know little of the 
country. I do not like the country. I 
love the Indians. The country is not 
very bad; it is, however, not worth 
Castile. 

Myself — Is your reverence a Cas- 
tilian ? 

Rector. — I am an Old Castilian, my 
son. 

From the house of the Philippine 
Missions my friend conducted me to the 
English College : this establishment 
seemed in every respect to be on a more 
magniiicent scale than its Scottish sis- 
ter. In the latter there were few pupils, 
scarcely six or seven, I believe, whilst 
in the English seminary I was informed 
that between thirty and forty were re- 
ceiving their education. It is a beau- 
tiful building, with a small but splendid 
church, and a handsome library. The 
situation is light and airy : it stands by 
itself in an unfrequented part of the 
city, and, with genuine English exclu- 
siveness, is surrounded by a high wall, 
which incloses a delicious garden. This 
is by far the most remarkable establish- 
ment of the kind in the Peninsula, and 
I believe the most prosperous. From 
the cursory view which I enjoyed of 
its interior, I of course cannot be ex- 
pected to know much of its economy. 
I could not, however, fail to be struck 
with the order, neatness, and system 
which pervaded it. There was, how- 
ever, an air of severe monastic disci- 
pline, though I am far from asserting 
that such actually existed. We were 



attended throughout by the sub-rector, 
the principal being absent. Of all the 
curiosities of this college, the most re- 
markable is the picture-gallery, which 
contains neither more nor less than the 
portraits of a variety of scholars of this 
house who eventually suffered martyr- 
dom in England, in the exercise of their 
vocation in the angry times of the Sixth 
Edward and fierce Elizabeth. Yes, in 
this very house were many of those 
pale smiling half-foreign priests edu- 
cated, who, like stealthy grimalkins, 
traversed green England in all direc- 
tions ; crept into old halls beneath um- 
brageous rookeries, fanning the dying 
embers of Popery, with no other hope 
nor perhaps wish than to perish disem- 
bowelled by the bloody hands of the 
executioner, amongst the yells of a 
rabble as bigoted as themselves : priests 
like Bedingfield and Garnet, and many 
others who have left a name in English 
story. Doubtless many a history, only 
the more wonderful for being true, 
could be wrought out of the archives of 
the English Popish seminary at Valla- 
dolid. 

There was no lack of guests at the 
Trojan Horse, where we had taken up 
our abode at Yalladolid. Amongst 
others who arrived during my sojourn 
was a robust buxom dame, exceedingly 
well dressed in black silk, with a costly 
mantilla. She was accompanied by a 
very handsome, but sullen and mali- 
cious looking urchin of about fifteen, 
who appeared to be her son. She came 
from Toro, a place about a day's jour- 
ney from Valladolid, and celebrated for 
its wine. One night, as we were seated 
in the court of the inn enjoying the 
fresco, the following conversation en- 
sued between us. 

Lady. — Vaya, vaya, what a tiresome 
place is Valladolid! How different 
from Toro ! 

Myself. — I should have thought that 
it is at least as agreeable as Toro, which 
is not a third part so large. 

Lady. — As agreeable as Toro ! Vaya, 
vaya ! Were you ever in the prison of 
Toro, Sir Cavalier? 

Myself. — I have never had that ho- 
nour; the prism is generally the last 
place which I think of visiting. 



126 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



[chap. XXI. 



Lady. — See the difference of tastes : 
I have been to see the prison of Vaila- 
doiid, and it seems as tiresome as the 
town. 

Myself. — Of course, if grief and tedi- 
ousness exist anywhere, you will mid 
them in the prison. 

Lady. — Not in that of Toro. 

Myself— What does that of Toro 
possess to distinguish it from all others ? 

Lady. — What does it possess ? Vaya ! 
Am I not the carcelera? Is not my 
husband the alcayde ? Is not that son 
of mine a child of the prison i 

Myself. — I beg your pardon, I was 
not aware of that circumstance ; it of 
course makes much difference. 

Lady. — I believe you. I am a daugh- 
ter of that prison: my father was al- 
cayde, and my son might hope to be so, 
were he not a fool. 

Myself. — His countenance then belies 
him strangely : I should be loth to pur- 
chase that youngster for a fool. 

Gaoleress. — You would have a fine 
bargain if you did : he has more picar- 
dias than any Calabozero in Toro. 
What I mean is, that he does not take 
to the prison as he ought to do, consi- 
dering what his fathers were before 
him. He has too much pride — too 
many fancies; and he has at length 
persuaded me to bring him to Yalla- 
dolid, where I have arranged with a 
merchant who lives in the Plaza to take 



him on trial. I wish he may not find 
his way to the prison : if he do, he will 
find that being a prisoner is a very dif- 
ferent thing from being a son of the 
prison. 

Myself. — As there is so much mer- 
riment at Toro, you of course attend to 
the comfort of your prisoners. 

Gaoleress,. — Yes, we are very kind to 
them ; I mean to those who are cabal- 
leros ; but as for those with vermin and 
miseria, what can we do ? It is a merry 
orison that of Toro ; we allow as much 
wine to enter as the prisoners can pur- 
chase and pay duty for. This of Val- 
ladolid is not half so gay : there is no 
prison like Toro. I learned there to 
play on the guitar. An Andalusian ca- 
valier taught me to touch the guitar and 
to sing a la Gkana. Poor fellow, he 
was my first novio. Juanito, bring me 
the guitar, that I may play this gentle- 
man a tune of Andalusia. 

The carcelera had a fine voice, and 
touched the favourite instrument of the 
Spaniards in a truly masterly manner. 
I remained listening to her performance 
for nearly an hour, when I retired to my 
apartment and my repose. I believe 
that she continued playing and singing 
during the greater part of the night, for 
as I occasionally awoke I could still 
hear her ; and even in my slumbers 
the strings were ringing in my ears. 



CHAPTER XXII. 



Ihienas — Children of Egypt — Jockeyism — The Baggage Pony — The Fall — Palencia— Carlist 
Priests — The Look out — Priestly Sincerity — Leon — Antonio alarmed — Heat and Dust. 



After a sojourn of about ten days at 
Valladolid, we directed our course to- 
wards Leon. We arrived about noon 
at Duenas, a town at the distance of six 
short leagues from Valladolid. It is in 
every respect a singular place : it stands 
on a rising ground, and directly above 
it towers a steep conical mountain of 
calcareous earth, crowned by a ruined 
castle. Around Duenas are seen a mul- 
titude of caves scooped in the high banks 
and secured with strong doors. These 
are cellars, in which is deposited the 
wine, of which abundance is grown in 
the neighbourhood, and which is chiefly 
sold to the Navarrese and the moun- 
taineers of Santander, who arrive in cars 
drawn by oxen, and convey it away in 
large quantities. We put up at a mean 
posada in the suburb for the purpose of 
refreshing our horses. Several cavalry 
soldiers were quartered there, who in- 
stantly came forth, and began, with the 
eyes of connoisseurs, to inspect my An- 
dalusian entero. " A capital horse that 
would be for our troop," said the cor- 
poral ; " what a chest he has ! By 
what right do you travel with that 
horse, senor, when so many are wanted 
for the Queen's service? He belongs 
to the requiso." " I travel with him 
by right of purchase, and being an Eng- 
lishman," I replied. " Oh, your wor- 
ship is an Englishman," answered the 
corporal ; " that, indeed, alters the mat- 
ter ; the English in Spain are allowed 
to do what they please with their own, 
which is more than the Spaniards are. 
Cavalier, I have seen your countrymen 
in the Basque provinces ; Vaya, what 
riders ! what horses ! They do not 
fight badly either. But their chief skill 
is in riding: I have seen them dash 
over barraneos to get at the factious, 
who thought themselves quite secure, 



and then they would fall upon them on 
a sudden and kill them to a man. In 
truth, your worship, this is a fine horse ; 
I must 1gc£ at his teeth." 

I looked at the corporal — his nose 
and eyes were in the horse's mouth : 
the rest of the party, who might amount 
to six or seven, were not less busily en- 
gaged. One was examining his fore 
feet, another his hind ; one fellow was 
pulling at his tail with all his might, 
while another pinched the windpipe, 
for the purpose of discovering whether 
the animal was at all touched there. 
At last, perceiving that the corporal 
was about to remove the saddle, that he 
might examine the back of the animal, 
I exclaimed — 

" Stay, ye chabes of Egypt, ye forget 
that ye are hundunares, and are no 
longer parusuing grastes in the char- 

dy." 

The corporal at these words turned 
his face full upon me, and so did all 
the rest. Yes, sure enough, there were 
the countenances of Egypt, and the 
fixed filmy stare of eye. We continued 
looking at each other for a minute at 
least, when, the corporal, a villanous- 
looking fellow, at last said, in the richest 
gypsy whine imaginable, " The erray 
knows us, the poor Galore ! And he 
an Englishman! Bullati! I should 
not have thought that there was e'er 
a Busno would know us in these parts, 
where Gitanos are never seen. Yes, 
your worship is right ; we are all here 
of the blood of the Galore' ; we are from 
Melegrana (Granada), your worship; 
they took us from thence and sent us to 
the wars. Your worship is right- the 
sight of that horse made us believe we 
were at home again in the mercado of 
Granada ; he is a countryman of ours, 
a real Andalou. Por dios, your wor- 



I?* THE BIBLE 



ship, sell us that horse; we are poor 
Galore, but we can buy him." 

" You forget that you are soldiers," 
said I. " How should you buy my 
horse?" 

" We are soldiers, your worship," 
said the corporal, " but we are still Ga- 
lore ; we buy and sell bestis ; the cap- 
tain of our troop is in league with us. 
We have been to the wars, but not to 
fight ; we left that to the Busne. We 
have kept together, and like true Ga- 
lore, have stood back to back. We 
have made money in the wars, your 
worship. No tenga usted cuidao (be 
under no apprehension). We can buy 
your horse." 

Here he pulled out a purse, which 
contained at least ten ounces of gold. 

" If I were willing to sell," I replied, 
" what would you give me for that 
horse ?" 

" Then your worship wishes to sell 
your horse — that alters the matter. We 
will give ten dollars for your worship's 
horse. He is good for nothing." 

" How is this ? " said I. " You this 
moment told me he was a fine horse — ■ 
an Andalusian, and a countryman of 
yours." 

" No, Senor ! we did not say that he 
was an Andalou. W T e said he was an 
Estremou, and the worst of his kind. 
He is eighteen years old, your worship, 
short-winded and galled." 

;< I do not wish to sell my horse," 
said I ; " quite the contrary ; I had rather 
buy than sell." 

" Your worship does not wish to sell 
your horse," said the Gypsy. " Stay, 
your worship ; we will give sixty dollars 
for your worship's horse." 

" I would not sell him for two hun- 
dred and sixty. Meclis ! Meclis ! say 
no more. I know your gypsy tricks. 
I will have no dealings with vou." 

" Did I not hear your worship say 
that you wished to buy a horse ?" said 
the Gypsy. 

" I do not want to buy a horse," said 
L ; " if I need anything it is a pony to 
carry our baggage ; but it is getting 
late. Antonio, pay the reckoning." 

" Stay, your worship, do not b« in a 
hurry." said the Gypsy ; " I have got 
the very pony which will suit you." 



IN SPAIN. [chap. xxii. 

Without waiting for my answer, he 
hurried into the stable, from whence he 
presently returned, leading an animal 
by a halter. It was a pony of about 
thirteen hands high, of a dark red 
colour; it was very much galled all 
over, the marks of ropes and thongs 
being visible on its hide. The figure, 
however, was good, and there was an 
extraordinary brightness in its eye. 

" There, your worship," said the 
Gypsy ; " there is the best pony in all 
Spain." 

" What do you mean by showing me 
this wretched creature ?" said I. 

" This wretched creature," said the 
Gypsy, "is a better horse than your 
Andalou!" 

u p er haps you would not exchange," 
said I, smiling. 

" Senor, what I say is, that he shall 
run with your Andalou, and beat him V 

" He looks feeble," said I ; " his work 
is well nigh done." 

" Feeble as he is, Senor, you could 
not manage him ; no, nor any English- 
man in Spain." 

I looked at the creature again, and 
was still more struck with its figure. I 
was in need of a pony to relieve occa- 
sionally the horse of Antonio in carry- 
ing the baggage which we had brought 
from Madrid, and though the condition 
of this was wretched, I thought that by 
kind treatment I might possibly soon 
bring him round. 

" May I mount this animal ?" I de- 
manded. 

" He is a baggage pony, Senor, and is 
ill to mount. He will suffer none but 
myself to mount him, who am his mas- 
ter. When he once commences running, 
nothing will stop him but the sea. He 
springs over hills and mountains, and 
leaves them behind in a moment. If 
you will mount him, Senor, suffer me 
to fetch a bridle, for you can never hold 
him in with the halter." 

" This is nonsense," said I. " You 
pretend that he is spirited in order to 
enhance the price. I tell you his work 
is done." 

I took the halter in my hand and 
mounted. I was no sooner on his back 
than the creature, who had before stood 
stone still, without displaying the 



chap, xxii.] THE BIBLE 

slightest inclination to move, and who 
in fact gave no farther indication of ex- 
istence than occasionally rolling his 
eyes and pricking ivp an ear, sprang 
forward like a racehorse, at a most des- 
perate gallop. I had expected that he 
might kick or fling himself down on 
the ground, in order to get rid of his 
burden, but for this escapade I was quite 
unprepared. I had no difficulty, how- 
ever, in keeping on his back, having 
been accustomed from my childhood to 
ride without a saddle. To stop him, 
however, baffled all my endeavours, and 
I almost began to pay credit to the 
words of the Gypsy, who had said that 
he would run on until he reached the 
sea. I had, however, a strong arm, 
and I tugged at the halter until I com- 
pelled him to turn slightly his neck, 
which from its stiffness might almost 
have been of wood ; he, however, did 
not abate his speed for a moment. On 
the left side of the road down which he 
was dashing was a deep trench, just 
where the road took a turn towards the 
right, and over this he sprang in a side- 
ward direction; the halter broke with 
the effort, the pony shot forward like 
an arrow, whilst I fell back into the 
dust." 

" Senor ! " said the Gypsy, coming 
up with the most serious countenance 
in the world, " I told you not to mount 
that animal unless well bridled and 
bitted. He is a baggage pony, and will 
suffer none to mount his back, with the 
exception of myself who feed him.'' 
(Here he whistled, and the animal, who 
was scurring over the field, and occa- 
sionally kicking up his heels, instantly 
returned with a gentle neigh.) " Now, 
your worship, see how gentle he is. He 
is a capital baggage pony, and will 
carry all vou have over the hills of 
Galicia." 

" What do you ask for him ? " said I. 

" Senor, as your worship is an En- 
glishman, and a good ginete, and, more- 
over, understands the ways of the Ca- 
lore, and their tricks and their language 
also, I will sell him to you a bargain. 
I will take two hundred and sixty dol- 
lars for him, and no less." 

" That is a large sum," said I. 

u No, Senor, not at all, considering 



IN SPAIN. 129 



that he is a baggage pony, and belongs 
to the troop, and is not mine to sell." 

Two hours' ride brought us to Paien- 
cia, a fine old town, beautifully situated 
on the Carrion, and famous for its trade 
in wool. We put up at the best posada 
which the place afforded, and I forth- 
with proceeded to visit one of the prin- 
cipal merchants of the town, to whom I 
was recommended by my banker in 
Madrid. I was told, however, that he 
was taking his siesta. " Then I had 
better take my own," said I, and re- 
turned to the posada. In the evening I 
went again, when I saw him. He was 
a short bulky man, about thirty, and 
received me at first with some degree of 
bluntness ; his manner, however, pre- 
sently became more kind, and at last he 
scarcely appeared to know how to show 
me sufficient civility. His brother had 
just arrived from Santander, and to him 
he introduced me. This last was a 
highly intelligent person, and had passed 
many years of his life in England. They 
both insisted upon showing me the 
town, and, indeed, led me all over it, 
and about the neighbourhood. I parti- 
cularly admired the cathedral, a light, 
elegant, but ancient Gothic edifice. 
Whilst we walked about the aisles, the 
evening sun, pouring its mellow rays 
through the arched windows, illumined 
some beautiful paintings of Murillo, 
with which the sacred edifice is adorned. 
From the church my friends conducted 
me to a fulling mill in the neighbour- 
hood, by a picturesque walk. There 
was no lack either of trees or water, 
and I remarked, that the environs of 
Palencia were amongst the most plea- 
sant places that I had ever seen. 

Tired at last with rambling, we re- 
paired to a coffee-house, where they 
regaled me with chocolate and sweet- 
meats. Such was their hospitality ; and 
of hospitality of this simple and agree- 
able kind there is much in Spain. 

On the next day we pursued our 
journey, a dreary one, for the most part, 
over bleak and barren plains, inter- 
spersed with silent and cheerless towns 
and villages, which stood at the distance 
of two or three leagues from each other. 
About midday we obtained a dim and 
distant view of an immense range of 

R 



130 



THE BIBLE 



IN SPAIN. 



[CHAP. XXII. 



mountains, which are in fact those 
which bound Castile on the north. The 
day, however, became dim and obscure, 
and we speedily lost sight of them. A 
hollow wind now arose and blew over 
these desolate plains with violence, 
wafting clouds of dust into our faces ; 
the rays of the sun were few, and those 
red and angry. I was tired of my 
journey, and when about four we reached 

* * * * * 9 a i ar ge village, half way 
between Palencia and Leon, I declared 
my intention of stopping for the night. 
I scarcely ever saw a more desolate 
place than this same town or village of 

* * * * * . The houses were for the 
most part large, but the walls were of 
mud, like those of barns. We saw no 
person in the long winding street to 
direct us to the venta, or posada, till at 
last, at the farther end of the place, we 
descried two black figures standing at a 
door, of whom, on making inquiry, we 
learned that the door at which they 
stood was that of the house we were in 
quest of. There was something strange 
in the appearance of these two beings, 
who seemed the genii of the place. One 
was a small slim man, about fifty, with 
sharp ill-natured features. He was 
dressed in coarse black worsted stock- 
ings, black breeches, and an ample 
black coat with long trailing skirts. I 
should at once have taken him for an 
ecclesiastic, but for his hat, which had 
nothing clerical about it, being a pinched 
diminutive beaver. His companion was 
of low stature, and a much younger 
man. He was dressed in similar fashion, 
save that he wore a dark blue cloak. 
Both carried walking-sticks in their 
hands, and kept hovering about the 
door, now within and now without, oc- 
casionally looking up the road, as if 
they expected some one. 

" Trust me, mon maitre," said Anto- 
nio to me, in French, " those two fellows 
are Carlist priests, and are awaiting the 
arrival of the Pretender, Les imbe- 
cilles!" 

We conducted our horses to the stable, 
to which we were shown by the woman 
of the house. " Who are those men ? " 
said I to her. 

" The eldest is head curate to our 
pueblo," said she , " the other is bro- 



ther to my husband. Pobrecito ! he 
was a friar in our convent before it was 
shut up and the brethren driven forth." 

We returned to the door. " I sup- 
pose, gentlemen," said the curate, " that 
you are Catalans. Do you bring any 
news from that kingdom ?" 

" Why do you suppose we are Cata- 
lans ? " I demanded. 

" Because I heard you this moment 
conversing in that language." 

" I bring no news from Catalonia," 
said I. "I believe, however, that the 
greater part of that principality is in the 
hands of the Carlists," 

" Ahem, brother Pedro ! This gen- 
tleman says that the greater part of Ca- 
talonia is in the hands of the royalists. 
Pray, sir, where may Don Carlos be at 
present with his army ?" 

" He may be coming down the road 
this moment, " said I, " for what I 
know ;" and, stepping out, I looked up 
the way. 

The two figures were at my side in a 
moment. Antonio followed, and we all 
four looked intently up the road. 

" Do you see any thing ? " said I at 
last to Antonio. 

" Non, mon maitre." 

" Do you see anything, sir ? " said I 
to the curate. 

"I see nothing," said the curate, 
stretching out his neck. 

" I see nothing," said Pedro, the ex- 
friar ; " I see nothing but the dust, 
which is becoming every moment more 
blinding." 

" I shall go in, then," said I. " In- 
deed, it is scarcely prudent to be stand- 
ing here looking out for the Pretender 
should the nationals of the town hear 
of it, they might perhaps shoot us. " 

" Ahem ! " said the curate, following 
me ; " there are no nationals in this 
place : I would fain see what inhabitant 
would dare become a national. When 
the inhabitants of this place were or- 
dered to take up arms as nationals, they 
refused to a man, and on that account 
we had to pay a mulct ; therefore, 
friend, you may speak out if you have 
anything to communicate ; we are all 
of your opinion here." 

" I am of no opinion at all," said I, 
" save that I want my supper. I am 



CHAP. XXII. J 

neither for Key nor Roque. You say 
that I am a Catalan, and you know 
that Catalans think only of their own 
affairs.'' 

In the evening I strolled by myself 
about the village, which I foimd still 
more forlorn and melancholy than it at 
first appeared ; perhaps, however, it 
had been a place of consequence in its 
time. In one corner of it I found the 
ruins of a large clumsy castle, chiefly 
built of flint stones : into these ruins I 
attempted to penetrate, but the entrance 
was secured by a gate. From the castle 
I found my way to the convent, a sad 
desolate place, formerly the residence 
of mendicant brothers of the order of 
St. Francis. I was about to return to 
the inn, when I heard a loud buzz of 
voices, and, following the sound, pre- 
sently reached a kind of meadow, 
where, upon a small knoll, sat a priest 
in full canonicals, reading in a loud 
voice a newspaper, while around him, 
either erect or seated on the grass, were 
assembled about fifty vecinos, for the 
most part dressed in long cloaks, 
amongst whom I discovered my two 
friends the curate and friar. A fine 
knot of Carlist quidnuncs, said I to my- 
self, and turned away to another part of ; 
the meadow, where the cattle of the 
village were grazing. The curate, on 
observing me, detached himself in- 
stantly from the group, and followed. 
" I am told you want a pony," said he ; 
"there now is mine feeding amongst 
those horses, the best in all the king- 
dom of Leon/' He then began with 
all the volubility of a chalan to descant 
on the points of the animal. Presently 
the friar joined us, who, observing his 
opportunity, pulled me by the sleeve 
and whispered, "Have nothing to do 
with the curate, master, he is the 
greatest thief in the neighbourhood; 
if you want a pony, my brother has a 
much better, which he will dispose of 
cheaper." "I shall wait till I arrive 
at Leon," I exclaimed, and walked 
away, musing od priestly friendship 
and sincerity. 

From * * * * * to Leon, a distance 
of eight leagues, the country rapidly 
improved : we passed over several small 
streams, and occasionally found our- | 



131 



selves amongst meadows in which grass 
was growing in the richest luxuriance. 
The sun shone out brightly, and I 
hailed his re-appearance with joy, 
though the heat of his beams was op- 
pressive. On arriving within two 
leagues of Leon, we passed numerous 
cars and waggons, and bands of people 
with horses and mules, all hastening to 
the celebrated fair which is held in the 
city on St. John's or Midsummer day, 
and which took place within three days 
after our arrival. This fair, though 
principally intended for the sale of 
horses, is frequented by merchants from 
many parts of Spain, who attend with 
goods of various kinds, and amongst 
them I remarked many of the Catalans 
whom I had previously seen at Medina 
and Valladolid. 

There is nothing remarkable in Leon, 
which is an old gloomy town, with the 
exception of its cathedral, in many 
respects a counterpart of the church of 
Palencia, exhibiting the same light and 
elegant architecture, but, unlike its 
beautiful sister, unadorned with splen- 
did paintings. The situation of Leon 
is highly pleasant, in the midst of a 
blooming country, abounding with 
trees, and watered by many streams, 
wBich have their source in the mighty 
mountains in the neighbourhood. It is, 
however, by no means a healthy place, 
especially in summer, when the heats 
raise noxious exhalations from the 
waters, generating many kinds of dis- 
orders, especially fevers. 

I had scarcely been at Leon three 
days when I was seized with a fever, 
against which I thought the strength 
even of my constitution would have 
yielded, for it wore me almost to a 
skeleton, and when it departed, at the 
end of about a week, left me in such a 
deplorable state of weakness that I was 
scarcely able to make the slightest ex- 
ertion. I had, however, previously 
persuaded a bookseller to undertake the 
charge of vending the Testaments, and 
had published my advertisements as 
usual, though without very sanguine 
hope of success, as Leon is a place 
where the inhabitants, with very few 
exceptions, are furious Caiiists, and 
ignorant and blinded followers of the 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



132 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



LCHAP. XXII 



eld papal church. It is, moreover, a 
bishop' s see, which was once enjoyed 
by the prime counsellor of Don Carlos, 
whose fierce and bigoted spirit still 
seems to pervade the place. Scarcely 
had the advertisements appeared, when 
the clergy were in motion. They 
went from house to house, banning and 
cursing, and denouncing misery to 
whomsoever should either purchase or 
read " the accursed books," which had 
been sent into the country by heretics 
for the purpose of perverting the inno- 
cent minds of the population. They 
did more; they commenced a process 
against the bookseller in the ecclesias- 
tical court. Fortunately this court is 
not at present in the possession of much 
authority; and the bookseller, a bold 
and determined man, set them at defi- 
ance, and went so far as to affix an 
advertisement to the gate of the very 
cathedral. Notwithstanding the cry 
raised against the book, several copies 
were sold at Leon : two were purchased 
by ex-friars, and the same number by 
parochial priests from neighbouring 
villages. I believe the whole number 
disposed of during my stay amounted 
to fifteen ; so that my visit to this dark 
corner was not altogether in vain, as 
the seed of the Gospel has been sown, 
though sparingly. But the palpable 
darkness which envelopes Leon is truly 
lamentable, and the ignorance of the 
people is so great, that printed charms 
and incantations against Satan and his 
host, and against every kind of misfor- 
tune, are publicly sold in the shops, 
and are in great demand. Such are 
the results of Popery, a delusion which, 
more than any other, has tended to de- 
base and brutalize the human mind . 

I had scarcely risen from my bed 
where the fever had cast me, when T 
found that Antonio had become alarmed. 
He informed me that he had seen seve- 
ral soldiers in the uniform of Don Carlos 
lurking at the door of the posada, and 
that they had been making inquiries 
concerning me. 

It was indeed a singular fact con- 
nected with Leon, that upwards of fifty 
of these fellows, who had on various 
accounts left the ranks of the Pretender, 



were walking about the streets dressed 
in his livery, and with all the confi- 
dence which the certainty of protection 
from the local authorities could afford 
them should any one be disposed to in- 
terrupt them. 

I learned moreover from Antonio, 
that the person in whose house we were 
living was a notorious " alcahuete," or 
spy to the robbers in the neighbour- 
hood, and that unless we took our de- 
parture speedily and unexpectedly, we 
should to a certainty be plundered on 
the road. I did not pay much attention 
to these hints, but my desire to quit 
Leon was great, as I was convinced 
that as long as I continued there I 
should be unable to regain my health 
and vigour. 

Accordingly, at three in the morn- 
ing, we departed for Galicia. We had 
scarcely proceeded half a league when 
we were overtaken by a thunder-storm 
of tremendous violence. We were at 
that time in the midst of a wood which 
extends to some distance in the direc- 
tion in which we were going. The 
trees were bowed almost to the ground 
by the wind or torn up by the roots, 
whilst the earth was ploughed up by 
the lightning, which burst all around 
and nearly blinded us. The spirited 
Andalusian on which I rode became 
furious, and bounded into the air as if 
possessed. Owing to my state of weak- 
ness, I had the greatest difficulty in 
maintaining my seat, and avoiding a 
fall which might have been fatal. A 
tremendous discharge of rain followed 
the storm, which swelled the brooks 
and streams and flooded the surround- 
ing country, causing much damage 
amongst the corn. After riding about 
five leagues, we began to enter the 
mountainous district which surrounds 
Astorga : the heat now became almost 
suffocating; swarms of flies began to 
make their appearance, and settling 
down upon the horses, stung them all 
most to madness, whilst the road was 
very flinty and trying. It was with 
great difficulty that we reached Astorga, 
covered with mud and dust, our tongues 
cleaving to our palates with thirst. 



[ iss ] 



CHAPTER XXIII. 



Astorga — Tlie Inn — The Maragatos — Habits of the Maragatos — The Statue. 



We vent to a posada in the suburbs, 
the only one, indeed, which the place 
afforded. The court-yard was full of 
arrieros and carriers, brawling loudly ; 
the master of the house was fighting 
with two of his customers, and universal 
confusion reigned around. As I dis- 
mounted I received the contents of a 
wine-glass in my face, of which greet- 
ing, as it was probably intended for 
another, I took no notice. Antonio, 
however, was not so patient, for on 
being struck with a cudgel, he instantly 
returned the salute with his whip, sca- 
rifying the countenance of a carman. 
In my endeavours to separate these two 
antagonists, my horse broke loose, and 
rushing amongst the promiscuous crowd, 
overturned several individuals, and 
committed no little damage. It was a 
long time before peace was restored : 
at last we were shown to a tolerably 
decent chamber. We had, however, no 
sooner taken possession of it, than the 
waggon from Madrid arrived on its 
way to Coruna, filled with dusty tra- 
vellers, consisting of women, children, 
invalid officers, and the like. W T e were 
now forthwith dislodged, and our bag- 
gage flung into the yard. On our com- 
plaining of this treatment, we were told 
that we were two vagabonds whom no- 
body knew ; who had come without an 
arriero, and had already set the whole 
house in confusion. As a great favour, 
however, we were at length permitted 
to take up our abode in a ruinous build- 
ing down the yard, adjoining the stable, 
and filled with rats and vermin. Here 
there was an old bed with a tester, and 
with this wretched accommodation we 
were glad to content ourselves, for I 
could proceed no farther, and was burnt 
with fever. The heat of the place was 
intolerable, and I sat on the staircase 
with my head between my hands, gasp- 



ing for breath : soon appeared Antonio 
with vinegar and water, which I drank 
and felt relieved. 

We continued in this suburb three 
days, during the greatest part of which 
time I was stretched on the tester-bed, 
I once or twice contrived to make my 
way into the town, but found no book- 
seller, nor any person willing to under- 
take the charge of disposing of my 
Testaments. The people were brutal, 
stupid, and uncivil, and I returned to my 
tester-bed fatigued and dispirited. Here 
I lay listening from time to time to the 
sweet chimes which rang from the clock 
of the old cathedral. The master of 
the house never came near me, nor, in- 
deed, once inquired about me. Beneath 
the care of Antonio, however, I speedily 
waxed stronger. " Mon maitre," said 
he to me one evening, " I see you are 
better ; let us quit this bad town 
and worse posada to-morrow morning. 
Allons, mon maitre! Il est temps de 
nous mettre en chemin pour Lugo et 
Galice." 

Before proceeding, however, to nar- 
rate what befell us in this journey to 
LiUgo ana Galicia, it will, perhaps, not 
be amiss to say a few words concerning 
Astorga and its vicinity. It is a walled 
town, containing about five or six 
thousand inhabitants, with a cathedral 
and college, which last is, however, at 
present deserted. It is situated on the 
confines, and may be called the capital, 
of a tract of land called the country of 
the Maragatos, which occupies about 
three square leagues, and has for its 
north-western boundary a mountain 
called Telleno, the loftiest of a chain of 
hills which have their origin near the 
mouth of the river Minho, and are con- 
nected with the immense range which 
constitutes the frontier of the Asturias 
and Guipuscoa. 



134 



THE BIBLE 



IN SPAIN. 



[chap. XXIII. 



The land is ungrateful and barren, 
and niggardly repays the toil of the 
cultivator, being for the most part 
rocky, with a slight sprinkling of red 
brick earth. 

The Maragatos are perhaps the most 
singular caste to be found amongst the 
chequered population of Spain. They 
have their own peculiar customs and 
dress, and never intermarry with the 
Spaniards. Their name is a clue to 
their origin, as it signifies " Moorish 
Goths," and at the present day their 
garb differs but little from that of the 
Moors of Barbary, as it consists of a 
long tight jacket, secured at the waist 
by a broad girdle, loose short trousers 
which terminate at the knee, and boots 
and gaiters. Their heads are shaven, 
a slight fringe of hair being only left 
at the lower part. If they wore the 
turban or barret, they could scarcely 
be distinguished from the Moors in 
dress, but in lieu thereof they wear the 
sombrero, or broad slouching hat of 
Spain. There can be little doubt that 
they are a remnant of those Goths who 
sided with the Moors on their invasion 
of Spain, and who adopted their re- 
ligion, customs, and manner of dress, 
which, with the exception of the first, 
are still to a considerable degree re- 
tained by them. It is, however, evident 
that their blood has at no time mingled 
with that of the wild children of the 
desert, for scarcely amongst the hills of 
Norway would you find figures and 
faces more essentially Gothic than those 
of the Maragatos. They are strong 
athletic men, but loutish and heavy, 
and their features, though for the most 
part well formed, are vacant and devoid 
of expression. They are slow and plain 
of speech, and those eloquent and ima- 
ginative sallies so common in the con- 
versation of other Spaniards, seldom or 
never escape them ; "they have, more- 
over, a coarse thick pronunciation, and 
when you hear them speak, you almost 
imagine that it is some German or 
English peasant attempting to express 
himself in the language of the Penin- 
sula. They are constitutionally phleg- 
matic, and it is very difficult to arouse 
their anger ; but they are dangerous 
and desperate when once incensed ; and 



a person who knew them well told me 
that he would racher face ten Valen- 
cians, people infamous for their ferocity 
and blood-thirstiness, than confront one 
angry Maragato, sluggish and stupid 
though he be on other occasions. 

The men scarcely ever occupy them- 
selves in husbandry, which they abandon 
to the women, who plough the flinty 
fields and gather in the scanty harvests. 
Their husbands and sons are far diffe- 
rently employed : for they are a nation 
of arrieros, or carriers, and almost es- 
teem it a disgrace to follow any other 
profession. On every road of Spain, 
particularly those north of the moun- 
tains which divide the two Castiles, 
may be seen gangs of fives and sixes of 
these people lolling or sleeping beneath 
the broiling sun, on gigantic and heavily 
laden mutes and mules. In a word, 
almost the entire commerce of nearly 

v' 

one half of Spain passes through the 
hands of the Maragatos, whose fidelity 
to their trust is such, that no one accus- 
tomed to employ them would hesitate 
to confide to them the transport of a ton 
of treasure from the sea of Biscay to 
Madrid ; knowing well that it would 
not be their fault were it not delivered 
safe and undiminished, even of a grain, 
and that bold must be the thieves who 
would seek to wrest it from the far- 
feared Maragatos, who would cling to 
it whilst they could stand, and would 
cover it with their bodies when they 
fell in the act of loading or discharging 
their long carbines. 

But they are far from being disin- 
terested, and if they are the most trust- 
worthy of all the arrieros of Spain, they 
in general demand for the transport of 
articles a sum at least double to what 
others of the trade would esteem a rea- 
sonable recompense : by this means they 
accumulate large sums of money, not- 
withstanding that they indulge them- 
selves in far superior fare to that which 
contents in general the parsimonious 
Spaniard — another argument in favour 
of their pure Gothic descent ; for the 
Maragatos, like true men of the north, 
delight in swilling liquors and batten- 
ing upon gross and luscious meats, 
which help to swell out their tall and 
goodly figures. Many of them have 



CHAP. XXIII.J 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



135 



died possessed of considerable riches, 
part of which they have not unfre- 
quently bequeathed to the erection or 
embellishment of religious houses. 

On the east end of the cathedral of 
Astorga, which towers over the lofty 
and precipitous wall, a colossal figure 
of lead may be seen on the roof. It is 
the statue of a Maragato carrier, who 
endowed the cathedral with a large 
sum. He is in his national dress, but 
his head is averted from the land of his 
fathers, and whilst he waves in his 
hand a species of flag, he seems to be 
summoning his race from their unfruit- 
ful region to other climes, where a 
richer field is open to their industry 
and enterprise. 

I spoke to several of these men re- 
specting the all-important subject of 
religion ; but I found " their hearts 
gross, and their ears dull of hearing. 



and their eyes closed." There was one 
in particular to whom I showed the 
New Testament, and whom I addressed 
for a considerable time. He listened, 
or seemed to listen, patiently, taking 
occasionally copious draughts from an 
immense jug of whitish wine which 
stood between his knees. After I had 
concluded he said, " To-morrow I set 
out for Lugo, whither, I am told, your- 
self are going. If you wish to send 
your chest, I have no objection to take 
it at so much (naming an extravagant 
price). As for what you have told me, 
I understand little of it, and believe not 
a word of it; but in respect to the 
books which you have shown me, I 
will take three or four. I shall not 
read them, it is true, but I have no 
doubt that I can sell them at a higher 
price than you demand." 
So much for the Maragatos. 



I 126 ] 



CHAPTER XXIV. 

Departure from Astorga — The Venta — The By-path— Narrow Escape — The Cup of fa £ter— 
Sun and Shade— Bembibre — Convent of the Rocks— Sunset— Cacabelos — Midnight Adven- 
ture — Villafranca. 



It was four o'clock of a beautiful morn- 
ing when we sallied from Astorga, or 
rather from its suburbs, in which we 
had been lodged : we directed our course 
to the north, in the direction of Galicia. 
Leaving the mountain Telleno on 
our left, we passed along the eastern 
skirts of the land of the Maragatos, over 
broken uneven ground, enlivened here 
and there by small green valleys and 
runnels of water. Several of the Mara- 
gatan women, mounted on donkeys, 
passed us on their way to Astorga, 
whither they were carrying vegetables. 
We saw others in the fields handling 
their rude ploughs, drawn by lean oxen. 
We likewise passed through a small 
village, in which we, however, saw no 
living soul. Near this village we en- 
tered the high road which leads direct 
from Madrid to Coruna, and at last, 
having travelled near four leagues, we 
came to a species of pass, formed on 
our left by a huge lumpish hill (one of 
those which descend from the great 
mountain Telleno), and on our right 
by one of much less altitude. In the 
middle of this pass, which was of con- 
siderable breadth, a noble view opened 
itself to us. Before us, at the distance 
of about a league and a half, rose the 
mighty frontier chain, of which I have 
spoken before ; its blue sides and broken 
and picturesque peaks still wearing a 
thin veil of the morning mist, which 
the fierce rays of the sun were fast dis- 
pelling. It seemed an enormous barrier, 
threatening to oppose our further pro- 
gress, and it reminded me of the fables 
respecting the children of Magog, who 
are said to reside in remotest Tartary, 
behind a gigantic wall of rocks, which 
can only be passed by a gate of steel a 
thousand cubits in height. 



We shortly after arrived at Manzanal, 
a village consisting of wretched huts, 
and exhibiting every sign of poverty 
and misery. It was now time to refresh 
ourselves and horses, and we accord- 
ingly put up at a venta, the last habi- 
tation in the village, where, though we 
found barley for the animals, we had 
much difficulty in procuring anything 
for ourselves. I was at length fortunate 
enough to obtain a large jug of milk, 
for there were plenty of cows in the 
neighbourhood, feeding in a picturesque 
valley which we had passed by, where 
was abundance of grass, and trees, and 
a rivulet broken by tiny cascades. The 
jug might contain about half a gallon, 
but I emptied it in a few minutes, for 
the thirst of fever was still burning 
within me, though I was destitute of 
appetite. The venta had something the 
appearance of a German baiting-house. 
It consisted of an immense stable, from 
which was partitioned a kind of kitchen 
and a place where the family slept. 
The master, a robust young man, lolled 
on a large solid stone bench, which stood 
within the door. He was very inqui- 
sitive respecting news, but I could 
afford him none, whereupon he became 
communicative, and gave me the history 
of his life, the sum of which was, that 
he had been a courier in the Basque 
provinces, but about a year since had 
been dispatched to this village, where 
he kept the post-house. He was an 
enthusiastic liberal, and spoke in bitter 
terms of the surrounding population, 
who, he said, were all Carlists and 
friends of the friars. I paid little atten 
tion to his discourse, for I was looking 
at a Maragato lad of about fourteen, 
who served in the house as a kind of 
ostler. I asked the master if we were 



CHAP. XXIV.] 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



137 



still in the land of the Maragatos ; but 
he told me that we had left it behind 
nearly a league, and that the lad was 
an orphan, and was serving until he 
could rake up a sufficient capital to 
become an arriero. I addressed several 
questions to the boy, but the urchin 
looked sullenly in my face, and either 
answered by monosyllables or was dog- 
gedly silent. I asked him if he could 
read. " Yes," said he, " as much as 
that brute of yours which is tearing 
down the manger." 

Quitting Manzanal, we continued our 
course. We soon arrived at the verge 
of a deep valley amongst mountains 
— not those of the chain which we had 
seen before us, and which we now left 
to the right, but those of the Telleno 
raage, just before they unite with that 
chain. Round the sides of this vaiiey, 
which exhibited something of the ap- 
pearance of a horse-shoe, wound the 
road in a circuitous manner ; just before 
us, however, and diverging from the 
road, lay a footpath, which seemed, by 
a gradual descent, to lead across the 
valley, and to rejoin the road on the 
other side, at the # distance of about a 
furlong; and into this we struck, in 
order to avoid the circuit. 

We had not gone far before we met 
two Galicians on their way to cut the 
harvests of Castile. One of them 
shouted, " Cavalier, turn back : in a 
moment you will be amongst preci- 
pices, where your horses will break 
their necks, for we ourselves could 
scarcely climb them on foot." The 
other cried, " Cavalier, proceed, but 
be careful, and your horses, if sure- 
footed, will run no great danger : my 
comrade is a fool." A violent dispute 
instantly ensued between the two moun- 
taineers, each supporting his opinion 
with loud oaths and curses ; but without 
stopping to see the result, I passed on ; 
but the path was now filled with stones 
and huge slaty rocks, on which my 
horse was continually slipping. I like- 
wise heard the sound of water in a deep 
gorge, which I had hitherto not per- 
ceived, and I soon saw that it would be 
worse than madness to proceed. I 
turned my horse, and was hastening to 
regain the path which I had left, when 



Antonio, my faithful Greek, pointed 
out to me a meadow by which, he said, 
we might regain the high road much 
lower down than if we returned on our 
steps. The meadow was brilliant with 
short green grass, and in the middle 
there was a small rivulet of water. I 
spurred my horse on, expecting to be 
in the high road in a moment ; the 
horse, however, snorted and stared 
wildly, and was evidently unwilling to 
cross the seemingly inviting spot. I 
thought that the scent of a wolf or 
some other wild animal might have 
disturbed him, but was soon unde- 
ceived by his sinking up to the knees 
in a bog. The animal uttered a shrill 
sharp neigh, and exhibited every sign 
of the greatest terror, making at the 
same time great efforts to extricate 
himself, and plunging forward, but 
every moment sinking deeper. At last 
he arrived where a small vein of rock 
showed itself : on this he placed his 
fore feet, and with one tremendous ex- 
ertion freed himself from the deceitful 
soil, springing over the rivulet and 
alighting on comparatively firm ground, 
where he stood panting, his heaving 
sides covered with a foamy sweat. An- 
tonio, who had observed the whole 
scene, afraid to venture forward, re- 
turned by the path by which we came, 
and shortly afterwards rejoined me. 
This adventure brought to my recol- 
lection the meadow with its footpath 
which tempted Christian from the 
straight road to heaven, and finally 
conducted him to the dominions of the 
giant Despair. 

We now began to descend the valley 
by a broad and excellent carretera or 
carriage-road, which was cut out of the 
steep side of the mountain on our right. 
On our left was the gorge, down which 
tumbled' the runnel of water which I 
have before mentioned. The road was 
tortuous, and at every turn the scene 
became more picturesque. The gorge 
gradually widened, and the brook at 
its bottom, fed by a multitude of springs, 
increased in volume and in sound, but 
it was soon far beneath us, pursuing its 
headlong course till it reached level 
ground, where it flowed in the midst 
of a beautiful but confined prairie. 



188 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



[chap. XXIV. 



There was something sylvan and sa- 
vage in the mountains on the farther 
side, clad from foot to pinnacle with 
trees, so closely growing that the eye 
was unable to obtain a glimpse of the 
hill sides, which were uneven with 
ravines and gulleys, the haunts of the 
wolf, the wild boar, and the corso, or 
mountain-stag ; the latter of which, as 
I was informed by a peasant who was 
driving a car of oxen, frequently de- 
scended to feed in the prairie, and were 
there shot for the sake of their skins, 
for the flesh, being strong and disagree- 
able, is held in no account. 

But notwithstanding the wildness of 
these regions, the handiworks of man 
were visible. The sides of the gorge, 
though precipitous, were yellow with 
little fields of barley, and we saw a 
hamlet and church down in the prairie 
below, whilst merry songs ascended to 
our ears from where the mowers were 
toiling with their scythes, cutting the 
luxuriant and abundant grass. I could 
scarcely believe that I was in Spain, in 
general so brown, so arid and cheerless, 
and I almost fancied myself in Greece, 
in that land of ancient glory, whose 
mountain and forest scenery Theocritus 
has so well described. 

At the bottom of the valley we en- 
tered a small village, washed by the 
brook, which had now swelled almost 
to a stream. A more romantic situ- 
ation I had never witnessed. It was 
surrounded, and almost overhung, by 
mountains, and embowered in trees 
of various kinds ; waters sounded, 
nightingales sang, and the cuckoo's 
full note boomed from the distant 
branches, but the village was miserable. 
The huts were built of slate stones, of 
which the neighbouring hills seemed 
to be principally composed, and roofed 
with the same, but not in the neat tidy 
manner of English houses, for the slates 
were of all sizes, and seemed to be flung 
on in confusion. We were spent with 
heat and thirst, and sitting down on a 
stone bench, I entreated a woman to 
give me a little water. The woman 
said she would, but added that she ex- 
pected to be paid for it. Antonio, on 
hearing this, became highly incensed, 
and speaking Greek, Turkish, and Spa- 



nish, invoked the vengeance of the 
Panhagia on the heartless woman, say- 
ing, " If I were to offer a Mahometan 
gold for a draught of water he would 
dash it in my face ; and you are a Ca- 
tholic, with the stream running at your 
door." I told him to be silent, and 
giving the woman two cuartos, repeated 
my request, whereupon she took a 
pitcher, and going to the stream, filled 
it with water It tasted muddy and 
disagreeable, bat it drowned the fever 
which was devouring me. 

We again remounted and proceeded 
on our way, which, for a considerable 
distance, lay along the margin of the 
stream, which now fell in small cata- 
racts, now brawled over stones, and at 
other times ran dark and silent through 
deep pools overhung with tall willows, 
— pools which seemed to abound with 
the finny tribe, for large trout fre- 
quently sprang from the water, hatch- 
ing the brilliant fly which skimmed 
along its deceitful surface. The scene 
was delightful. The sun was rolling 
high in the firmament, casting from its 
orb of fire the most glorious rays, so 
that the atmosphere was flickering with 
their splendour, but their fierceness 
was either warded off by the shadow of 
the trees, or rendered innocuous by the 
refreshing coolness which rose from 
the waters, or by the gentle breezes 
which murmured at intervals over the 
meadows, " fanning the cheek or rais- 
ing the hair" of the wanderer. The 
hills gradually receded, till at last we 
entered a plain where tall grass was 
waving, and mighty chestnut trees, in 
full blossom, spread out their giant and 
umbrageous boughs. Beneath many 
stood cars, the tired oxen prostrate on 
the ground, the cross-bar of the pole 
which they support pressing heavily 
on their heads, whilst their drivers 
were either employed in cooking, or 
were enjoying a delicious siesta in the 
grass and shade. I went up to one of 
the largest of these groups and de- 
manded of the individuals whether 
they were in need of the Testament of 
Jesus Christ. They stared at one ano- 
ther, and then at me, till at last a young 
man, who was dangling a long gun in 
his hands as he reclined, demanded of 



(HAP. XXIV.] 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



139 



me what it was, at the same time in- 
quiring whether I was a Catalan, " for 
you speak hoarse," said he, " and are 
tall and fair like that family." I sat 
down amongst them, and said that I 
was no Catalan, hut that I came from a 
spot in the Western Sea, many leagues 
distant, to sell that book at half the 
price it cost ; and that their souls' wel- 
fare depended on their being acquainted 
with it. I then explained to them the 
nature of the New Testament, and read 
to them the parable of the Sower. They 
stared at each other again, but said that 
they were poor, and could not buy 
books. I rose, mounted, and was 
going away, saying to them, " Peace 
bide with you." Whereupon the voung 
man with the gun rose, and saying, 
" Caspita ! this is odd," snatched the 
book from my hand, and gave me the 
price I had demanded. 

Perhaps the whole world might be 
searched in vain for a spot whose na- 
tural charms could rival those of this 
plain or valley of Bembibre, as it is 
called, with its wall of mighty moun- 
tains, its spreading chestnut-trees, and 
its groves of oaks and willows, which 
clothe the banks of its stream, a tribu- 
tary to the Minho. True it is, that 
when I passed through it the candle of 
heaven was blazing in full splendour, 
and everything lighted by its rays 
looked gay, glad, and blessed. Whether 
it would have filled me with the same 
feelings of admiration if viewed beneath 
another sky, I will not pretend to de- 
termine ; but it certainly possesses ad- 
vantages which at no time could fail to 
delight, for it exhibits all the peaceful 
beauties of an English landscape blend- 
ed with something wild and grand, and 
I thought within myself that he must be 
a restless, dissatisfied man, who, bora 
amongst those scenes, would wish to 
quit them. At the time I would have 
desired no better fate than that of a 
shepherd on the prairies, or a hunter 
on the hills of Bembibre. 

Three hours passed away, and we 
were in another situation. We had 
halted and refreshed ourselves and 
horses at Bembibre, a village of mud 
and slate, and which possessed little to 
attract attention. We were now as- 



cending, for the road was over one of 
the extreme ledges of those frontier 
hills which I have before so often men- 
tioned; but the aspect of heaven had 
blackened, clouds were rolling rapidly 
from the west over the mountains, and 
a cold wind was moaning dismally. 
" There is a storm travelling through 
the air," said a peasant, whom we over- 
took mounted on a wretched mule, 
"and the Asturians had better be on 
the look-out, for it is speeding in their 
direction." He had scarce spoken 
when a light, so vivid and dazzling 
that it seemed as if the whole lustre of 
the fiery element were concentrated in 
it, broke around us, filling the whole 
atmosphere, and covering rock, tree, 
and mountain with a glare not to be 
described. The mule of the peasant 
tumbled prostrate, while the horse I 
rode reared himself perpendicularly, 
and, turning round, dashed down the 
hill at headlong speed, which for some 
time it was impossible to check. The 
lightning was followed by a peal almost 
as terrible, but distant, for it sounded 
hollow and deep; the hills, however, 
caught up its voice, seemingly repeat- 
ing it from summit to summit, till it 
was lost in interminable space. Other 
flashes and peals succeeded, but slight 
in comparison, and a few drops of 
rain descended. The body of the tem- 
pest seemed to be over another region. 
" A hundred families are weeping 
where that bolt fell," said the peasant 
when I rejoined him, " for its blaze 
has blinded my mule at six leagues' 
distance." He was leading the animal 
by the bridle, as its sight was evidently 
affected. " Were the friars still in 
their nest above there," he continued, 
" I should say that this was their doing, 
for they are the cause of all the miseries 
of the land." 

I raised my eyes in the direction in 
which he pointed. Half way up the 
mountain, over whose foot we were 
wending, jutted forth a black frightful 
crag, which, at an immense altitude, 
overhung the road, and seemed to 
threaten destruction. It resembled one 
of those ledges of the rocky mountains 
in the picture of the Deluge, up to 
which the terrified fugitives have 



140 



THE BIBLE 



IN SPAIN. 



j CHAP. XXIV. 



scrambled from the eager pursuit of 
the savage aud tremendous billows, and 
from whence they g'ize down in horror, 
whilst above them rise still higher and 
giddier heights, to which they seem 
unable to climb. Built on the very 
edge of this crag stood an edifice, 
seemingly devoted to the purposes of 
religion, as 1 could discern the spire of 
a church rearing itself high over wall 
and roof. " That is the house of the 
Virgin of the Rocks," said the peasant, 
" and it was lately full of friars, but 
they have been thrust out, and the only 
inmates now are owls and ravens." I 
replied, that their life in such a bleak, 
exposed abode could not have been 
very enviable, as in winter they must 
have incurred great risk of perishing 
with cold. " By no means," said he, 
" they had the best of wood for their 
braseros and chimneys, and the best of 
wine to warm them at their meals, 
which were not the most sparing. 
Moreover, they had another convent 
down in the vale yonder, to which they 
could retire at their pleasure." On my 
asking him the reason of his antipathy 
to the friars, he replied, that he had 
been their vassal, and that they had 
deprived him every year of the liower 
of what he possessed. Discoursing in 
this manner, we reached a village just 
below the convent, where he left me, 
having first pointed out to me a house 
of stone, with an image over the door, 
which, he said, once also belonged to 
the canalla (rabble) above. 

The sun was setting fast, and, eager 
to reach Villafranca, where I had de- 
termined on resting, and which was 
still distant three leagues and a half, I 
made no halt at this place. The road 
was now down a rapid and crooked de- 
scent, which terminated in a valley, at 
the bottom of which was a long and 
narrow bridge; beneath it rolled a 
river, descending from a wide pass be- 
tween two mountains, for the chain 
was here cleft, probably by some con- 
vulsion of nature. I looked up the 
pass, and on the hills on both sides. 
Far above on my right, but standing 
forth bold and clear, and catching the 
last rays of the sun, was the Convent 
of the Precipices, whilst directly over 



against it, on the farther side of the 
valley, rose the perpendicular side of 
the rival hill, which, to a considerable 
extent intercepting the light, flung its 
black shadow over the upper end of 
the pass, involving it in mysterious 
darkness. Emerging from the centre 
of this gloom, with thundering sound, 
dashed a river, white with foam, and 
bearing along with it huge stones and 
branches of trees, for it was the wild 
Sil hurrying to the ocean from its 
cradle in the heart of the Asturian 
hills, and probably swollen by the re- 
cent rains. 

Hours again passed away. It was 
now night, and we were in the midst 
of woodlands, feeling our way, for the 
darkness was so great that I could 
scarcely see the length of a yard before 
my horse's head. The animal seemed 
uneasy, and would frequently stop short, 
prick up his ears, and utter a low 
mournful whine. Flashes of sheet 
lightning frequently illumined the black 
sky, and flung a momentary glare over 
our path. No sound interrupted the 
stillness of the night, except the slow 
tramp- of the horses' hoofs, and occa- 
sionally the croaking of frogs from- 
some pool or morass. I now bethought 
me that I was in Spain, the chosen 
land of the two fiends — assassination 
and plunder, — and how easily two tired 
and unarmed wanderers might become 
their victims. 

We at last cleared the woodlands, 
and, after proceeding a short distance, 
the horse gave a joyous neigh, and 
broke into a smart trot. A barking of 
dogs speedily reached my ears, and we 
seemed to be approaching some town 
or village. In effect we were close to 
Cacabelos, a town about five miles dis- 
tant from Villafranca. 

It was near eleven at night, and I 
reflected that it would be far more ex- 
pedient to tarry in this place till the 
morning than to attempt at present to 
reach Villafranca, exposing ourselves 
to all the horrors of darkness in a 
lonely and unknown road. My mind 
was soon made up on this point; but 
I reckoned without my host, for at the 
first posada which I attempted to enter 
I was told that we could not be accom ^ 



C11AP. XXIV. J 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



141 



modated. and still less our horses, as 
the stable was full of water. At the 
second, and there were but two, I was 
answered from the window by a gruff 
voice, nearly in the words of Scripture : 
" Trouble me not : the door is now 
shut, and my children are with me in 
bed; I cannot arise to let you in." 
Indeed, we had no particular desire to 
enter, as it appeared a wretched hovel, 
though the poor horses pawed piteously 
against the door, and seemed to crave 
admittance. 

We had now no choice but to resume 
our doleful way to Villafranca, which 
we were told was a short league dis- 
tant, though it proved a league and a 
half. We found it no easy matter to 
quit the town, for we were bewildered 
amongst its labyrinths, and could not 
find the outlet. A lad about eighteen 
was, however, persuaded, by the pro- 
mise of a peseta, to guide us : where- 
upon he led us by many turnings to a 
bridge, which he told us to cross, and 
to follow the road, which was that of 
Villafranca ; he then, having received 
his fee, hastened from us. 

We followed his directions, not, how- 
ever, without a suspicion that he might 
be deceiving us. The night had settled 
darker down upon us, so that it was 
impossible to distinguish any object, 
however nigh. The lightning had be- 
come more faint and rare. We heard 
the rustling of trees, and occasionally 
the barking of dogs, which last sound, 
however, soon ceased, and we were m 
the midst of night and silence. My 
horse, either from weariness, or the 
badness of the road, frequently stum- 
bled ; whereupon I dismounted, and 
leading him by the bridle, soon left 
Antonio far in the rear. 

I had proceeded in this manner a 
considerable way, when a circumstance 
occurred of a character well suited to 
the time and place. 

I was again amidst trees and bushes, 
when the horse, stopping short, nearly 
pulled me back. I know not how it 
was, but fear suddenly came over me, 
which, though in darkess and in soli- 
tude, I had not felt before. I was 
about to urge the animal forward, 
when I heard a noise at my right 



hand, and listened attentively. It 
seemed to be that of a person or per- 
sons forcing their way through branches 
and brushwood. It soon ceased, and I 
heard feet on the road. It was the 
short staggering kind of tread of people 
carrying a very heav y substance, nearly 
too much for their strength, and I 
thought I heard the hurried breathing 
of men over-fatigued. There was a 
short pause, during which I conceived 
they were resting in the middle of the 
road ; then the stamping recommenced, 
until it reached the other side, when I 
again heard a similar rustling amidst 
branches ; it continued for some time, 
and died gradually away. 

I continued my road, musing on what 
had just occurred, and forming conjec- 
tures as to the cause. The lightning 
resumed its flashing, and I saw that I 
was approaching tall black mountains. 

This nocturnal journey endured sc 
long that I almost lost all hope of reach- 
ing the town, and had closed my eyes 
in a doze, though I still trudged on me- 
chanically, leading the horse. Sud- 
denly a voice at a slight distance before 
me roared out, " Quien vive ?' for I had 
at last found my way to Villafranca. 
It proceeded from the sentry in the 
suburb, one of those singular half sol- 
diers half guerillas, called Miguelets, 
who are in general employed by the 
Spanish government to clear the roads 
of robbers. I gave the usual answer, 
" Espam" and went up to the place 
wnere ne stood. After a little conver- 
sation, I sat down on a stone, awaiting 
the arrival of Antonio, who was long in 
making his appearance. On his arrival, 
I asked if any one had passed him on 
the road, but he replied that he had 
seen nothing. The night, or rather the 
morning, was still very dark, though a 
small corner of the moon was occasion- 
ally visible. On our inquiring the way 
to the gate, the Miguelet directed us 
down a street to the left, which we fol- 
lowed. The street was steep, we could 
see no gate, and our progress was soon 
stopped by houses and wall. We 
knocked at the gates of two or three of 
these houses, (in the upper stories of 
which lights were burning,) for the 
purpose of being set right, but we were 



142 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



[chap. XXIV. 



either disregarded or not heard. A 
horrid squalling of cats, from the tops 
of the houses and dark corners, saluted 
our ears, and I thought of the night ar- 
rival of Don Quixote and his squire at 
Toboso, and their vain search amongst 
the deserted streets for the palace of 
Dulcinea. At length we saw light and 
heard voices in a cottage at the other 
side of a kind of ditch. Leading the 
horses over, we called at the door, 
which was opened by an aged man, 
who appeared by his dress to be a 
baker, as indeed he proved, which ac- 
counted for his being up at so late an 
hour. On begging him to show us the 
way into the town, he led us up a very 
narrow alley at the end of his cottage, 
saying that he would likewise conduct 
us to the posada. 

The alley led directly to what ap- 
peared to be the market-place, at a 
corner house of which our guide stopped 
and knocked. After a long pause an 
upper window was opened, and a female 



voice demanded who we were. The 
old man replied, that two travellers 
had arrived who were in need of lodg- 
ing. " I cannot be disturbed at this 
time of night," said the woman ; " they 
will be wanting supper, and there is 
nothing in the house; they must go 
else where." She was going to shut the 
window, but I cried that we wanted no 
supper, but merely a resting place for 
ourselves and horses — that we had come 
that day from Astorga, and were dying 
with fatigue. " Who is that speak- 
ing ?" cried the woman. " Surely that 
is the voice of Gil, the German clock- 
maker from Pontevedra. Welcome, 
old companion ; you are come at the 
right time, for my own is out of order. 
I am sorry I have kept you waiting, 
but I will admit you in a moment." 

The window was slammed to, pre- 
sently a light shone through the cre- 
vices of the door, a key turned in the 
lock, and we were admitted. 



C 143 1 



CHAPTER XXV. 



Villafranca— The Pass— Gallegan Simplicity— The Frontier Guard— The Horse-shoe— Gallegan 
Peculiarities— A Word on Language— The Courier — Wretched Cabins — Host and Guests 
— Andalusians. 



" Ave Maria," said the woman ; " whom 
have we here ? This is not Gil the 
clock-maker." " Whether k be Gil or 
Juan," said I, " we are in need of your 
hospitality, and can pay for it." Our 
first care was to stable the horses, who 
were much exhausted. We then went 
in search of some accommodation for 
ourselves. The house was large and 
commodious, and having tasted a little 
water, I stretched myself on the floor 
of one of the rooms on some mattresses 
which the woman produced, and in less 
than a minute was sound asleep. 

The sun was shining bright when I 
awoke. I walked forth into the market- 
place, which was crowded with people. 
I looked up, and could see the peaks of 
tall black mountains peeping over the 
tops of the houses. The town lay in a 
deep hollow, and appeared to be sur- 
rounded by hills on almost every side. 
" Quel pays barbare!" said Antonio, 
who now joined me ; " the farther we 
go, my master, the wilder every tiling 
looks. I am half afraid to venture into 
Galicia ; they tell me that to get to it 
we must clamber up those hills : the 
horses will founder." Leaving the 
market-place I ascended the wall of the 
town, and endeavoured to discover the 
gate by which we should have entered 
the preceding night ; but I was not 
more successful in the bright sunshine 
than in the darkness. The town in the 
direction of Astorga appeared to be her- 
metically sealed. 

I was eager to enter Galicia, and 
findirg that the horses were to a certain 
extent recovered from the fatigue of the 
journey of the preceding day, we again 
mounted and proceeded on our way. 
Crossing a bridge, we presently found 
ourselves in a deep gorge amongst the 



mountains, down which rushed an im- 
petuous rivulet, overhung by the high 
road which leads into Galicia. We 
were in the far-famed pass of Fuence- 
badcn. 

It is impossible to describe this pass 
or the circumjacent region, which con- 
tains some of the most extraordinary 
scenery in all Spain; a feeble and im- 
perfect outline is all that I can hope to 
effect. The traveller who ascends it 
follows for nearly a league the course 
of the torrent, whose banks are in some 
places precipitous, and in others slope 
down to the waters, and are covered 
with lofty trees, oaks, poplars, and chest- 
nuts. Small villages are at first conti- 
nually seem with low walls 5 and roofs 
formed of immense slates, the eaves 
nearly touching the ground ; these ham- 
lets, however, gradually become less 
frequent as the path grows more steep 
and narrow, until they finally cease at 
a short distance before the spot is at- 
tained where the rivulet is abandoned, 
and is no more seen, though its tribu- 
taries may yet be heard in many a 
giilly> or descried in + iny rills dashing 
down the steeps. Every thing here is 
wild, strange, and beautiful: the hill 
up which winds the path towers above 
on the right, whilst on the farther side 
of a profound ravine rises an immense 
mountain, to whose extreme altitudes 
the eye is scarcely able to attain ; but 
the most singular feature of this pass 
are the hanging fields or meadows 
which cover its sides. In these, as I 
passed, the grass was growing luxu- 
riantly, and in many the mowers were 
plying their scythes, though it seemed 
scarcely possible that their feet could 
find support on ground so precipitous : 
above and below were driftways, «o 



144 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



[chap. XXV. 



small as to seem threads along the 
mountain side. A car, drawn by oxen, 
is creeping round yon airy eminence ; 
the nearer wheel is actually hanging 
over the horrid descent ; giddiness seizes 
the brain, and the eye is rapidly with- 
drawn. A cloud intervenes, and when 
again you turn to watch their progress, 
the objects of your anxiety have disap- 
peared. Still more narrow becomes 
the path along which you yourself are 
toiling, and its turns more frequent. 
You have already come a distance of 
two leagues, and still one-third of the 
ascent remains unsurmounted. You are 
not yet in Galicia ; and you still hear 
Castilian, coarse and unpolished, it is 
true, spoken in the miserable cabins 
placed in the sequestered nooks which 
you pass by in your route. 

Shortly before we reached the sum- 
mit of the pass thick mists began to en- 
velope the tops of the hills, and a driz- 
zling rain descended. " These mists," 
said Antonio, " are what the Gallegans 
call bretima ; and it is said there is 
never any lack of them in their coun- 
try." "Have you ever visited the 
country before ?" I demanded. " Non, 
mon maitre ; but I have frequently 
lived in houses where the domestics 
were in part Gallegans, on which ac- 
count I know not a little of their ways, 
and even something of their language." 
" Is the opinion which you have formed 
of them at all in their favour ?" I in- 
quired. " By no means, mon maitre ; 
the men in general seem clownish and 
simple, yet they are capable of deceiv- 
ing the most clever filou of Paris : and 
as for the women, it is impossible to 
live in the same house with them, more 
especially if they are Camareras, and 
wait upon the Senora ; they are conti- 
nually breeding dissensions and dis- 
putes in the house, and telling tales of 
the other domestics. I have already 
lost two or three excellent situations in 
Madrid, solely owing to these Gallegan 
chambermaids. We have now come to 
the frontier, mon maitre, for such I 
conceive this village to be." 

We entered the village, which stood 
on the summit of the mountain, and as 
our horses and ourselves were by this 
time much fatigued, we looked round 



for a place in which to obtain refresh- 
ment. Close by the gate stood a build- 
ing which, from the circumstance of a 
mule or two and a wretched pony 
standing before it, we concluded was 
the posada, as in effect it proved to be, 
We entered : several soldiers were loll- 
ing on heaps of coarse hay, with which 
the place, which much resembled a 
stable, was half filled. All were ex- 
ceedingly ill-looking fellows, and very 
dirty. They were conversing with 
each other in a strange sounding dia- 
lect, which I supposed to be Gallegan* 
Scarcely did they perceive us when two 
or three of them, starting from their 
couch, ran up to Antonio, whom they 
welcomed with much affection, calling 
him companheiro. " How came you to 
know these men ? " I demanded in 
French : " Ces messieurs sont presque 
tous de ma connoissance" he replied, 
" et, entre nous, ce sont des veritables 
vauriens ; they are almost all robbers 
and assassins. That fellow with one 
eye, who is the corporal, escaped a little 
time ago from Madrid, more than sus- 
pected of being concerned in an affair 
of poisoning ; but he is safe enough 
here in his own country, and is placed 
to guard the frontier, as you see ? but 
we must treat them civilly, mon maitre : 
we must give them wine, or they will 
be offended. I know them, mon maitre 
— I know them. Here, hostess, bring 
an azumbre of wine." 

Whilst Antonio was engaged in treat- 
ing his friends, I led the horses to the 
stable ; this was through the house, inn, 
or whatever it might be called. The 
stable was a wretched shed, in which 
the horses sank to their fetlocks in mud 
and puddle. On inquiring for barley, 
I was told that I was now in Galicia, 
where barley was not used for proven- 
der, and was very rare. I was offered 
in lieu of it Indian corn, which, how- 
ever, the horses ate without hesitation. 
There was no straw to be had ; coarse 
hay, half green, being the substitute. 
By trampling about in the mud of the 
stable my horse soon lost a shoe, for 
which I searched in vain. " Is there 
a blacksmith in the village ? " I de- 
manded of a shock-headed fellow whc 
officiated as ostler. 



CMAP. XXV.] 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



145 



Ostler. — Si, Senhor ; but I suppose 
you have brought horse-shoes with you, 
or that large beast of yours cannot be 
shod in this village. 

Myself. — What do you mean? Is 
the blacksmith unequal to his trade? 
Cannot he put on a horse-shoe ? 

Ostler. — Si, Senhor ; he can put on 
a horse-shoe, if you give it him ; but 
there are no horse-shoes in Galicia, at 
least in these parts. 

Myself. — Is it not customary then to 
shoe the horses in Galicia ? 

Ostler. — Senhor, there are no horses 
in Galicia, there are only ponies ; and 
those who bring horses to Galicia, and 
none but madmen ever do, must bring 
shoes to fit them ; only shoes of ponies 
are to be found here. 

Myself. — What do you mean by say- 
ing that only madmen bring horses to 
Galicia ? 

Ostler. — Senhor, no horse can stand 
the food of Galicia and the mountains 
of Galicia long, without falling sick ; 
and then, if he does n % die at once, he 
will cost you in farriv ^ more than he 
is worth ; besides, a hor. _ is of no use 
here, and cannot perform amongst the 
broken ground the tenth part of the 
service which a little pony mare can. 
By-the-by, Senhor, I perceive that 
yours is an entire horse ; now out of 
twenty ponies that you see on the roads 
of Galicia, nineteen are mares; the 
males are sent down into Castile to be 
sold. Senhor, your horse will become 
heated on our roads, and will catch the 
bad glanders, for which there is no 
remedy. Senhor, a man must be mad 
to bring any horse to Galicia, but twice 
mad to bring an entero, as you have 
done. 

" A strange country this of Galicia," 
said I, and went to consult with An- 
tonio. 

It appeared that the information of 
the ostler was literally true with regard 
to the horse-shoe ; at least the black- 
smith of the village, to whom we con- 
ducted the animal, confessed his inabi- 
lity to shoe him, having none that 
wo aid fit his hoof : he said it was very 
probable that we should be obliged to 
lead the animal to Lugo, which being 
a cavalry station, we might perhaps 



find there what we wanted. He added, 
however, that the greatest part of the 
cavalry soldiers were mounted on the 
ponies of the country, the mortality 
amongst the horses brought from the 
level ground into Galicia being fright- 
ful. Lugo was ten leagues distant: 
there seemed, however, to be no re- 
medy at hand but patience, and, having 
refreshed ourselves, we proceeded, lead- 
ing our horses by the bridle. 

We were now on level ground, being 
upon the very top of one of the highest 
mountains in Galicia. This level con- 
tinued for about a league, when we 
began to descend. Before we had 
crossed the plain, which was overgrown 
with furze and brushwood, we came 
suddenly upon half-a-dozen fellows, 
armed with muskets, and wearing a 
tattered uniform. We at first supposed 
them to be banditti : they were, how- 
ever, only a party of soldiers, who had 
been detached from the station we had 
just quitted to escort one of the provin- 
cial posts or couriers. They were cla- 
morous for cigars, but offered us no 
further incivility. Having no cigars to 
bestow, I gave them in lieu thereof a 
small piece of silver. Two of the worst 
looking were very eager to be permit- 
ted to escort us to Nogales, the village 
where we proposed to spend the night. 
" By no means permit them, mon 
maitre," said Antonio, " they are two 
famous assassins of my acquaintance ; 
I have known them at Madrid : in the 
first ravine they will shoot and plunder 
us." I therefore civilly declined their 
offer and departed. " You seem to be 
acquainted with all the cut-throats in 
Galicia," said I to Antonio, as we de- 
scended the hill. 

" With respect to those two fellows," 
he replied, " I knew them when I 
lived as cook in the family of General 

Q , who is a Gallegan: they 

were sworn friends of the repostero. 
All the Gallegans in Madrid know each 
other, whether high or low makes no 
difference ; there, at least, they are all 
good friends, and assist each other on 
all imaginable occasions : and if there 
be a Gallegan domestic in a house, the 
kitchen is sure to be filled with his 
countrymen, as the cook frequently 



[46 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



[chap. XXV. 



knows to his cost, for they generally 
contrive to eat up any little perquisites 
which he may have reserved for him- 
self and family." 

Somewhat less than half way down 
the mountain we reached a small vil- 
lage. On observing a blacksmith's 
shop, we stopped, in the faint hope of 
finding a shoe for the horse, who, for 
want of one, was rapidly becoming 
lame. To our great joy we found that 
the smith was in possession of one single 
horse-shoe, which some time previously 
he had found upon the way. This, 
after undergoing much hammering and 
alteration, was pronounced by the Gal- 
legan Vulcan to be capable of serving 
in lieu of a better ; whereupon we again 
mounted, and slowly continued our de- 
scent. 

Shortly ere sunset we arrived at No- 
gales, a hamlet situate in a narrow 
valley at the foot of the mountain, in 
traversing which we had spent the day. 
Nothing coidd be more picturesque than 
the appearance of this spot : steep hills, 
thickly clad with groves and forests of 
chesnuts, surrounded it on every side ; 
the village itself was almost embowered 
in trees, and close beside it ran a purl- 
ing brook. Here we found a tolerably 
large and commodious posada. 

I was languid and fatigued, but felt 
little desire to sleep. Antonio cooked 
our supper, or rather his own, for I had 
no appetite. I sat by the door, gazing 
at the wood-covered heights above me, 
or on the waters of the rivulet, occa- 
sionally listening to the people who 
lounged about the house, conversing in 
the country dialect. What a strange 
tongue is the Gallegan, with its half- 
singing half- whining accent, and with 
its confused jumble of words from many 
languages, but chiefly from the Spanish 
and Portuguese ! " Can you understand 
this conversation ?" I demanded of An- 
tonio, who had by this time rejoined 
me. " I cannot, mon maitre," he re- 
plied ; " I have acquired at various 
times a great many words amongst the 
Gallegan domestics in the kitchens 
where I have officiated as cook, but am 
quite unable to understand any long 
conversation. I have heard the Galle- 
gans say that in no two villages is it j 



spoken in one and the same manner, 
and that very frequently they do not 
understand each other. The worst of 
this language is, that everybody on first 
hearing it thinks that nothing is more 
easy than to understand it, as words are 
continuallv occurring which he has 
heard before ; but these merely serve to 
bewilder and puzzle him, causing him 
to misunderstand everything that is 
said ; whereas, if he were totally igno- 
rant of the tongue, he would occasion- 
ally give a shrewd guess at what was 
meant, as I myself frequently do when 
I hear Basque spoken, though the only 
word which I know of that language is 
jaunguicoa" 

As the night closed in I retired to 
bed, where I remained four or five 
hours, restless and tossing about ; the 
fever of Leon still clinging to my sys- 
tem. It was considerably past mid- 
night when, just as I was sinking into 
a slumber, I was aroused by a confused 
noise in the village, and the glare of 
lights through the lattice of the win- 
dow of the room where I lay ; presently 
entered Antonio, half dressed. " Mon 
maitre," said he, " the grand post from 
Madrid to Coruna has just arrived in 
the village, attended by a considerable 
escort, and an immense number of tra- 
vellers. The road, they say, between 
here and Lugo, is infested with robbers 
and Carlists, who are committing all 
kinds of atrocities; let us, therefore, 
avail ourselves of the opportunity, and 
by midday to-morrow we shall find our- 
selves safe in Lugo." On hearing these 
words, I instantly sprang out of bed and 
dressed myself, telling Antonio to pre- 
pare the horses with all speed. 

We were soon mounted and in the 
street, amidst a confused throng of men 
and quadrupeds. The light of a couple 
of flambeaus, which were borne before 
the courier, shone on the arms ot several 
soldiers, seemingly drawn up on either 
side of the road ; the darkness, however, 
prevented me from distinguishing ob- 
jects very clearly. The courier himself 
was mounted on a little shaggy pony ; 
before and behind him were two im- 
mense portmanteaus, or leather sacks, 
the ends of which nearly touched the 
ground. For about a quarter of an 



CHAP. XX V.J 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



147 



hour there was much hubbub, shouting, 
and trampling, at the end of which pe- 
riod the order was given to proceed. 
Scarcely had we left the village when 
the flambeaus were extinguished, and 
we were left in almost total darkness ; 
for some time we were amongst woods 
and trees, as was evident from the rust- 
ling of leaves on every side. My horse 
was very uneasy and neighed fearfully, 
occasionally raising himself bolt up- 
right. " If your horse is not more 
quiet, cavalier, we shall be obliged to 
shoot him," said a voice in an Andalu- 
sian accent ; "he disturbs the whole 
cavalcade." " That would be a pity, 
sergeant," I replied, " for he is a Cor- 
dovese by the four sides; he is not 
used to the ways of this barbarous 
country." " Oh, he is a Cordovese," 
said the voice ; " vaya, I did not know 
that ; I am from Cordova myself. Po- 
brecito ! let me pat him — yes, I know 
by his coat that he is my countryman : 
shoot him, indeed ! vaya, I would fain 
see the Gallegan devil who would dare 
to harm him. Barbarous country, io 
lo creo: neither oil nor olives, bread 
nor barley. You have been at Cor- 
dova. Vaya; oblige me, cavalier, by 
taking this cigar." 

In this manner we proceeded for 
several hours, up hill and down dale, 
but generally at a very slow pace. The 
soldiers who escorted us from time to 
time sang patriotic songs, breathing 
love and attachment to the young 
Queen Isabel, and detestation of the 
grim tyrant Carlos. One of the stanzas 
which reached my ears ran something 
in the following style : — 

" Don Carlos is a hoary churl, 
Of cruel heart and cold ; 
But Isabel 's a harmless girl, 
Of only six years old." 

At last the day began to break, and I 
found myself amidst a train of two or 
three hundred people, some on foot, but 
the greater part mounted, either on 
mules or the pony mares : I could not 
distinguish a single horse except my 
own and Antonio's. A few soldiers 
were thinly scattered along the road. 
The country was hilly, but less moun- 
tainous and picturesque than the one 
which we had traversed the preceding 



day; it was for the most part parti- 
tioned into small fields, which were 
planted with maize. At the distance 
of every two or three leagues we 
changed our escort, at some village 
where was stationed a detachment. 
The villages were mostly an assem- 
blage of wretched cabins; the roofs 
were thatched, dank, and moist, and 
not unfrequently covered with rank 
vegetation. There were dung-hills be- 
fore the doors, and no lack of pools 
and puddles. Immense swine were 
stalking about, intermingled with 
naked children. The interior of the 
cabins corresponded with their external 
appearance : they were filled with filth 
and misery. 

We reached Lugo about two hours 
past noon: during the last two or 
three leagues I became so overpowered 
with weariness, the result of want of 
sleep and my late illness, that I was 
continually dozing in my saddle, so 
that 1 took but little notice of what 
was passing. We put up at a large 
posada without the wall of the town, 
built upon a steep bank, and command- 
ing an extensive view of the country 
towards the east. Shortly after our 
arrival, the rain began to descend m 
torrents, and continued without inter- 
mission during the next two days, 
which was, however, to me but a slight 
source of regret, as I passed the entire 
time in bed, and I may almost say in 
slumber. On the evening of the third 
day I arose. 

There was much bustle in the house, 
caused by the arrival of a family from 
Coruria ; they came in a large jaunting 
car, escorted by four carabineers. The 
family was rather numerous, consisting 
of a father, son, and eleven daughters, 
the eldest of whom might be about 
eighteen. A shabby-looking fellow, 
dressed in a jerkin and wearing a 
high-crowned hat, attended as domes- 
tic. They arrived very wet and shiver- 
ing, and all seemed very disconsolate, 
especially the father, who was a well- 
looking middle-aged man, "Can we 
be accommodated ?" he demanded in a 
gentle voice of the man of the house • 
" can we be accommodated in this 
fonda?" 

!• 2 



143 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



L C1IAP. XXV. 



" Certainly, your worship," replied 
the other ; " our house is large. How 
many apartments does your worship re- 
quire for your family T* 

" One will be sufficient," replied the 
stranger. 

The host, who was a gouty personage 
and leaned upon a stick, looked for a 
moment at the traveller, then at every 
member of his family, not forgetting 
the domestic, and, without any farther 
comment than a slight shrug, led the 
way to the door of an apartment con- 
taining two or three flock beds, and 
which on my arrival I had objected to 
as being small, dark, and incommo- 
dious; this he flung open, and de- 
manded whether it would serve. 

" It is rather small," replied the gen- 
tleman ; " I think, however, that it will 
do." 

"I am glad of it," replied the host. 
" Shall we make any preparations for 
the supper of your worship and 
family ?" 

" No, I thank you," replied the 
stranger ; " my own domestic will pre- 
pare the slight refreshment we are in 
need of." 

The key was delivered to the domes- 
tic, and the whole family ensconced 
themselves in their apartment : before, 
however, this was effected, the escort 
were dismissed, the principal carabineer 
being presented with a peseta. The 
man stood surveying the gratuity for 
about half a minute, as it glittered in 
the palm of his hand; then with an 
abrupt Vamos! he turned upon his 
heel, and without a word of salutation 



to any person, departed with the men 
under his command. 

" Who can these strangers be ?" said I 
to the host, as we sat together in a large 
corridor open on one side, and which 
occupied the entire front of the house. 

" I know not," he replied, " but by 
their escort I suppose they are people 
holding some official situation. They 
are not of this province, however, and 
I more than suspect them to be Anda- 
lusians." 

In a few minutes the door of the 
apartment occupied by the strangers 
was opened, and the domestic appeared, 
bearing a cruise in his hand. " Pray, 
Senor Patron," demanded he, " where 
can I buy some oil ?" 

" There is oil in the house," replied 
the host, " if you want to purchase any ; 
but if, as is probable, you suppose that 
we shall gain a cuarto by selling it, you 
will find some over the way. It is as 
I suspected," continued the host, when 
the man had departed on his errand, 
" they are Andalusians, and are about 
to make what they call gaspacho, on 
which they will all sup. Oh, the mean- 
ness of these Andalusians! they are 
come here to suck the vitals of Galicia, 
and yet envy the poor innkeeper the 
gain of a cuarto in the oil which they 
require for their gaspacho. I tell you 
one thing, master, when that fellow 
returns, and demands bread and garlic 
to mix with the oil, I will tell him 
there is none m the house : as he has 
bought the oil abroad, so he may the 
bread and garlic; ay, and the water 
too, for that matter." 



[ 249 J 



CHAPTER XXVI. 

Lugo — Th3 Baths — A Family History — Miguelets — The Throe Heads — A Farrier — English 
Squadron — Sale of Testaments — Coruna — The Recognition — Luigi Piozzi— The Specula- 
tion — A Blank Prospect — John Moore. 



At Lugo I found a wealthy bookseller, 
to whom I brought a letter of recom- 
mendation from Madrid. He willingly 
undertook the sale of my books. The 
Lord deigned to favour my feeble ex- 
ertions in his cause at Lugo. I brought 
thither thirty Testaments, all of which 
were disposed of in one day ; the bishop 
of the place, for Lugo is an episcopal 
see, purchasing two copies for himself, 
whilst several priests and ex-friars, in- 
stead of following the example of their 
brethren at Leon, by persecuting the 
work, spoke well of it and recommended 
its perusal. I was much grieved that 
my stock of these holy books was ex- 
hausted, there being a great demand ; 
and had I been able to supply them, 
quadruple the quantity might have been 
sold during the few days that I con- 
tinued at Lugo. 

Lugo contains about six thousand 
inhabitants. It is situated on lofty 
ground, and is defended by ancient 
walls. It possesses no very remarkable 
edifice, and the cathedral church itself 
is a small mean building. In the centre 
of the town is the principal square, a 
light cheerful place, not surrounded by 
those heavy cumbrous buildings with 
which the Spaniards both in ancient 
and modern times have encircled their 
plazas. It is singular enough that 
Lugo, at present a place of very little 
importance, should at one period have 
been the capital of Spain ; yet such it 
was in the time of the Romans, who, as 
they were a people not much guided by 
caprice, had doubtless very excellent 
reasons for the preference which they 
gave to the locality. 

There are many Roman remains in 
the vicinity of this place, the most re- 
markable of which are the ruins of che 



ancient medicinal baths, which stand 
on the southern side of the river Minho, 
which creeps through the valley be- 
neath the town. The Minho in this 
place is a dark and sullen stream, with 
high, precipitous, and thickly wooded 
banks. 

One evening I visited the baths, ac- 
companied by my friend the bookseller. 
They had been built over warm springs 
which flow into the river. Notwith- 
standing their ruinous condition, they 
were crowded with sick, hoping to de- 
rive benefit from the waters, which are 
still famed for their sanative power. 
These patients exhibited a strange spec- 
tacle as, wrapped in flannel gowns much 
resembling shrouds, they lay immersed 
in the tepid waters amongst disjointed 
stones, and overhung with steam and 
reek. 

Three or four days after my arrival 
I was seated in the corridor, which, as 
I have already observed, occupied the 
entire front of the house. The sky 
was unclouded, and the sun shone 
most gloriously, enlivening every object 
around. Presently the door of the 
apartment in which the strangers were 
lodged opened, and forth walked the 
whole family, with the exception of 
the father, who, I presumed, was absent 
on business. The shabby domestic 
brought up the rear, and on leaving the 
apartment, carefully locked the door, 
and secured the key in his pocket. The 
one son and the eleven daughters were 
all dressed remarkably well : the boy 
something after the English fashion, in 
jacket and trousers, the young ladies in 
spotless white: they were, upon the 
whole, a very good looking family, with 
dark eyes and olive complexions, but 
the eldest daughter was remarkably 



150 



THE BIBLE IN SP^iiN. 



[chap. XXVI. 



handsome. They arranged themselves 
upon the benches of the corridor, the 
shabby domestic sitting down amongst 
them without any ceremony whatever. 
They continued for some time in silence, 
gazing with disconsolate looks upon the 
houses of the suburb and the dark walls 
of the town, until the eldest daughter, 
or senorita as she was called, broke 
silence with an " Ay Dios mio I" ' 

Domestic. — Ay Dios mio! we have 
found our way to a pretty country. 

Myself. — I really can see nothing so 
*ery bad in the country, which is by 
nature the richest in all Spain, and the 
most abundant. True it is that the 
generality of the inhabitants are wretch- 
edly poor, but they themselves are to 
blame, and not the country. 

Domestic. — Cavalier, the country is 
a horrible one, say nothing to the con- 
trary. We are all frightened, the young 
ladies, the young gentleman, and my- 
self ; even his worship is frightened, and 
says that we are come to this country 
for our sins. It rains every day, and 
this is almost the first time that we 
have seen the sun since our arrival. It 
rains continually, and one cannot step 
out without being up to the ankles in 
fango ; and then, again, there is not a 
house to be found. 

Myself. — I scarcely understand you. 
There appears to be no lack of houses 
in this neighbourhood. 

Domestic. — Excuse me, sir. His 
worship hired yesterday a house, for 
which he engaged to pay fourteen 
pence daily ; but when the senorita saw 
it, she wept, and said it was no house, 
but a hogstye, so his worship paid one 
day's rent and renounced his bargain. 
Fourteen pence a day! why, in our 
country, we can have a palace for that 
money. 

Myself — From what country do you 
come ? 

Domestic. — Cavalier, you appear to 
be a decent gentleman, and I will tell 
you our history. We are from Anda- 
lusia, and his worship was last year 
receiver-general for Granada : his sa- 
lary was fourteen thousand rials, with 
which we contrived to live very com- 
modiously — attending the bull funcions 
regularly, or if there were no bulls, we 



went to see the novillos, and now and 
then to the opera. In a word, sir, we 
had our diversions and felt at our ease ; 
so much so, that his worship was 
actually thinking of purchasing a pony 
for the young gentleman, who is four- 
teen, and must learn to ride now or 
never. Cavalier, the ministry was 
changed, and the new comers, who 
were no friends to his worship, de- 
prived him of his situation. Cavalier, 
they removed us from that blessed 
country of Granada, where our salary 
was fourteen thousand rials, and sent 
us to Galicia, to this fatal town of 
Lugo, where his worship is compelled 
to serve for ten thousand, which is 
quite insufficient to maintain us in our 
former comforts. Good bye, I trow, to 
bull funcions, and novillos, and the 
opera. Good bye to the hope of a 
horse for the young gentleman. Ca- 
valier, I grow desperate: hold your 
tongue, for God's sake ! for I can talk 
no more. 

On hearing this history I no longer 
wondered that the receiver-general was 
eager to save a cuarto in the purchase 
of the oil for the gaspacho of himself 
and family of eleven daughters, one 
son, and a domestic. 

We staid one week at Lugo, and 
then directed our steps to Coruna, 
about twelve leagues distant. We 
arose before daybreak in order to avail 
ourselves of the escort of the general 
post, in whose company we travelled 
upwards of six leagues. There was 
much talk of robbers, and flying par- 
ties of the factious, on which account 
our escort was considerable. At the 
distance of five or six leagues from 
Lugo, our guard, in lieu of regular 
soldiers, consisted of a body of about 
fifty Miguelets. They had all the ap- 
pearance of banditti, but a finer body of 
ferocious fellows I never saw. They 
were all men in the prime of life, 
mostly of ta" stature, and of Herculean 
brawn and limbs. They wore huge 
whiskers, and walked with a fanfaro- 
nading air, as if they courted danger, 
and despised it. In every respect 
they stood in contrast to the soldiers 
who had hitherto escorted us, who 
were mere feeble boys from sixteen to 



CIIAP. XXVI.] 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



151 



eighteen years of age, and possessed of 
neither energy nor activity. The 
proper dress of the Miguelet, if it re- 
sembles anything military, is some- 
thing akin to that anciently nsed by 
the English marines. They wear a 
peculiar kind of hat, and generally 
leggings, or gaiters, and their arms are 
the gun and bayonet. The colour of 
their dress is mostly dark brown. They 
observe little or no discipline, whether 
on a march or in the field of action. 
They are excellent irregular troops, 
and when on actual service are par- 
ticularly useful as skirmishers. Their 
proper duty, however, is to officiate as 
a species of police, and to clear the 
roads of robbers, for which du ty they 
are in one respect admirably calculated, 
having been generally robbers them- 
selves at one period of their lives. 
Why these people are called Miguelets 
it is not easy to say, but it is probable 
that they have derived this appellation 
from the name of their original leader. 
I regret that the paucity of my own 
information will not allow me to enter 
into farther particulars with respect to 
this corps, concerning which I have 
little doubt that many remarkable 
things might be said. 

Becoming weary of the slow travel- 
ling of the post, I determined to brave 
all risk, and to push forward. In this, 
however, I was guilty of no slight 
imprudence, as by so doing I was near 
falling into the hands of robbers. Two 
fellows suddenly confronted me with 
presented carbines, which they pro- 
bably intended to discharge into my 
body, but they took fright at the noise 
of Antonio's horse, who was following 
a little way behind. This affair oc- 
curred at the bridge of Castellanos, a 
spot notorious for robbery and murder, 
and well adapted for both, for it stands 
at the bottom of a deep dell surrounded 
by wild desolate hills. Only a quarter 
of an hour previous, I had passed three 
ghastly heads stuck on poles standing 
by the way-side : they were those of a 
captain of banditti and two of his ac- 
complices, who' had been seized and 
executed about two months before. 
Their principal haunt was the vicinity 
of the bridge, and it was their practice 



to cast the bodies of the murdered into 
the deep black water which runs ra- 
pidly beneath. Those three heads will 
always live in my remembrance, par- 
ticularly that of the captain, which 
stood on a higher pole than the other 
two : ,the long hair was waving in the 
wind, and the blackened, distorted fea- 
tures were grinning in the sun. The 
fellows whom I met were the relics of 
the band. 

We arrived at Betanzos late in the 
afternoon. This town stands on a 
creek at some distance from the sea, 
and about three leagues from Coruila. 
It is surrounded on three sides by lofty 
hills. The weather during the greater 
part of the day had been dull and 
lowering, and we found the atmosphere 
of Betanzos insupportably close and 
heavy. Sour and disagreeable odours 
assailed our olfactory organs from all 
sides. The streets were filthy — so were 
the houses, and especially the posada. 
We entered the stable ; it was strewed 
with rotten sea- weeds and other rub- 
bish, in which pigs were wallowing.- 
huge and loathsome flies were buzzing 
around. " What a pest-house ! " I 
exclaimed. But we could find no other 
stable, and were therefore obliged to 
tether the unhappy animals to the filthy 
mangers. The only provender that 
could be obtained was Indian corn. 
At nightfall I led them to drink at a 
small river which passes through Be- 
tanzos. My entero swallowed the water 
greedily ; but as we returned towards 
the inn, I observed that he was sad, 
and that his head drooped. He had 
scarcely reached the stall, when a deep 
hoarse cough assailed him. I remem- 
bered the words of the ostler in the 
mountains, " The man must be mad 
who brings a horse to Galicia, and 
doubly so he who brings an entero." 
During the greater part of the day the 
animal had been much heated, walking 
amidst a throng of at least a hundred 
pony mares. He now began to shiver 
violently. I procured a quart of anise 
brandy, with which, assisted by Anto- 
nio, I rubbed his body for nearly an 
hour, till his coat was covered with a 
white foam; but his cough increased 
perceptibly, his eyes were becoming 



152 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



[chap. XXVI, 



fixed, and his members rigid. " There 
is no remedy but bleeding," said I. 

Run for a farrier." The farrier came. 
" You must bleed the horse," I shouted ; 
" take from him an azumbre of blood." 
The farrier looked at the animal, and 
made for the door. " Where arje you 
going ?" I demanded. " Home," he re- 
plied. " But we want you here." " I 
know you do," was his answer ; " and 
on that account I am going." " But 
you must bleed the horse, or he will 
die." " I know he will," said the far- 
rier, " but I will not bleed him." 
"Why?" I demanded. " I will not 
bleed him but under one condition." 
" What is that ?" " What is it !— that 
you pay me an ounce of gold." " Run 
up stairs for the red morocco case," 
said I to Antonio. The case was 
brought ; I took out a large fleam, and 
with the assistance of a stone, drove it 
into the principal artery of the horse's 
leg. The blood at first refused to flow, 
at last, with much rubbing, it began to 
trickle, and then to stream ; it continued 
so for half an hour. " The horse is 
fainting, mon maitre," said Antonio. 
" Hold him up," said I, " and in ano- 
ther ten minutes we will stop the vein." 

I closed the vein, and wnilst doing 
so I looked up into the farrier's face, 
arching my eyebrows. 

" Carracho ! what an evil wizard !" 
muttered the farrier as he walked away. 
" If I had my knife here I would stick 
him." We bled the horse again during 
the night, which second bleeding I be- 
lieve saved him. Towards morning 
he began to eat his food. 

The next day we departed for Co-* 
ruiia, leading our horses by the bridle : 
the day was magnificent, and our walk 
delightful. We passed along beneath 
tall umbrageous trees, which skirted 
the road from Betanzos to within a 
short distance of Coruna. Nothing 
could be more smiling and cheerful 
than the appearance of the country 
around. Vines were growing in abun- 
dance in the vicinity of the villages 
through which we passed, whilst mil- 
lions of maize plants upreared their tail 
stalks and displayed their broad green 
leaves in the fields. After walking 
about three hours, we obtained a view i 



of the bay of Coruna, in which, even at 
the distance of a league, we could dis- 
tinguish three or four immense ships 
riding at anchor. " Can these vessels 
belong to Spain ?" I demanded of my- 
self. In the very next village, how- 
ever, we were informed, that the pre- 
ceding evening an English squadron had 
arrived, for what reason nobody could 
say. " However," continued our in- 
formant, " they have doubtless some 
design upon Galicia. These foreigners 
are the ruin of Spain." 

We put up in what is called the Calle 
Real, in an excellent fonda, or posada, 
kept by a short, thick, comical-looking 
person, a Genoese by birth. He was 
married to a tall, ugly, but good tem- 
pered Basque woman, by whom he had 
been blessed with a son and daught er. 
His wife, however, had it seems of late 
summoned all her female relations from 
Guipuscoa, who now filled the house to 
the number of nine, ofiiciating as cham- 
bermaids, cooks, and scullions : they 
were all very ugly, but good natured, 
and of immense volubility of tongue. 
Throughout the whole day the house 
resounded with their excellent Basque 
and very bad Castilian. The Genoese, 
on the contrary, spoke little, for which 
he might have assigned a good reason ; 
he had lived thirty years in Spain, and 
had forgotten his own language with- 
out acquiring Spanish, which he spoke 
very imperfectly. 

We found Coruna full of bustle and 
life, owing to the arrival of the English 
squadron. On the following day, how- 
ever, it departed, being bound for the 
Mediterranean on a short cruise, where- 
upon matters instantly returned to their 
usual course. 

I had a depot of five hundred Testa- 
ments at Coruna, from which it was 
my intention to supply the principal 
towns of Galicia. Immediately on my 
arrival I published advertisements, ac- 
cording to my usual practice, and the 
book obtained a tolerable sale — seven 
or eight copies per day on the average. 
Some people, perhaps, on perusing these 
details, will be tempted to exclaim, 
" These are small matters, and scarcely 
worthy of being mentioned." But let 
such bethink them that till within a 



chap, xxvi.] THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. . 153 



few months previous to the time of 
which I am speaking, the very exist- 
ence of the Gospel was almost unknown 
in Spain, and that it must necessarily 
be a difficult task to induce a people 
like the Spaniards, who read very little, 
to purchase a work like the NeAv Testa- 
ment, which, though of paramount im- 
portance to the soul, affords but slight 
prospect of amusement to the frivolous 
and carnally-minded. I hoped that the 
present was the dawning of better and 
more enlightened times, and rejoiced in 
the idea that Testaments, though few 
in number, were being sold in unfor- 
tunate benighted Spain, from Madrid 
to the furthermost parts of Galicia, a 
distance of nearly four hundred miles. 

Coruna stands on a peninsula, having 
on one side the sea, and on the other 
the celebrated bay, generally called the 
Groyne. It is divided into the old and 
new town, the latter of which was at 
one time probably a mere suburb. The 
old town is a desolate ruinous place, 
separated from the new by a wide moat. 
The modem town is a much more 
agreeable spot, and contains one mag- 
nificent street, Uhe Calle Real, where 
the principal merchants reside. One 
singular feature of this street is, that it 
is laid entirely with flags of marble, 
along which troop ponies and cars as if 
it were a common pavement. 

It is a saying amongst the inhabit- 
ants of Coruna, that in their town 
there is a street so clean that puchera 
may be eaten off it without the slightest 
inconvenience. This may certainly be 
the fact after one of those rains which 
so frequently drench Galicia, when the 
appearance of the pavement of the 
street is particularly brilliant. Coruna 
was at one time a place of considerable 
commerce, the greater part of which 
has lately departed to Santander, a town 
which stands a considerable distance 
down the Bay of Biscay. 

" Are you going to St. James, Gior- 
gio ? If so, you will perhaps convey a 
message to my poor countryman," said 
a voice to me one morning in broken 
English, as I was standing at the door 
of my posada, in the royal street of 
Coruna. 

I looked round and perceived a man 



standing near me at the door of a shop 
contiguous to the inn. He appeared to 
be about sixty-five, with a pale face 
and remarkably red nose. He was 
dressed in a loose green great coat, in 
his mouth was a long clay pipe, in his 
hand a long painted stick. 

" Who are you, and who is your 
countryman ?" I demanded; " I do not 
know you." 

" I know you, however," replied the 
man ; " you purchased the first knife 
that I ever sold in the market-place of 

Myself. — Ah, I remember you now, 
Luigi Piozzi ; and well do I remember 
also how, when a boy, twenty years 
ago, I used to repair to your stall, and 
listen to you and your countrymen dis- 
coursing in Milanese. 

Luigi. — Ah, those were happy times 
to me. Oh, how they rushed back on 
my remembrance when I saw you ride 
up to the door of the posada ! I instantly 
went in, closed my shop, lay down upon 
my bed and wept. 

Myself. — I see no reason why you 
should so much regret those times. I 
knew you formerly in England as an 
itinerant pedlar, and occasionally as 
master of a stall in the market-place of 
a country town. I now find you in a 
sea-port of Spain, the proprietor, seem- 
ingly, of a considerable shop. I cannot 
see why you should regret the differ- 
ence. 

Luigi (dashing his pipe on the 
ground). — Regret the difference ! Do 
you know one thing ? England is the 
heaven of the Piecbnontese and Milan- 
ese, and especially those of Como. We 
never lie down to rest but we dream of 
it, whether we are in our own country 
or in a foreign land, as I am now. Re- 
gret the difference, Giorgio ! Do I 
hear such words from your lips, and 
you an Englishman ? I would rather 
be the poorest tramper on the roads of 
England, than lord of all within ten 
leagues of the shore of the lake of Co- 
mo, and much the same say all my 
countrymen who have visited England, 
wherever they now be. Regret the 
difference ! I have ten letters from as 
many countrymen in America, who say 
they are rich and thriving, and princi- 



154 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



fCHAP XXVI. 



pal men and merchants ; but every 
night, when their heads are reposing on 
their pillows, their souls auslandra, 
hurrying away to England, and its 
green lanes and farm-yards. And there 
they are with their boxes on the ground, 
displaying their looking-glasses and 
other goods to the honest rustics and 
their dames and their daughters, and 
selling away and chaffering and laugh- 
ing just as of old. And there they are 
again at nightfall in the hedge ale- 
houses, eating their toasted cheese and 
their bread, and drinking the Suffolk 
ale, and listening to the roaring song 
and merry jests of the labourers. Now, 
if they regret England so who are in 
America, which they own to be a happy 
country, and good for those of Pied- 
mont and of Como, how much more 
must I regret it, when, after the lapse 
of so many years, I find myself in Spain, 
in this frightful town of Coruna, driving 
a ruinous trade, and where months 
pass by without my seeing a single 
English face, or hearing a word of the 
blessed English tongue ! 

Myself. — With such a predilection 
for England, what could have induced 
yon to leave it and come to Spain ? 

Luigi. — I will tell you: about six- 
teen years ago a universal desire seized 
our people in England to become some- 
thing more than they had hitherto 
been, pedlars and trampers ; they wished 
moreover, for mankind are never satis- 
fied, to see other countries: so the 
greater pail; forsook England. Where 
formerly there had been ten, at present 
scarcely lingers one. Almost all went 
to America, which, as I told you be- 
fore, is a happy country, and specially 
good for us men of Como. W r ell, all 
my comrades and relations passed over 
the sea to the West. I, too, was bent on 
travelling; but whither? Instead of 
going towards the West with the rest, 
to a country where they have all 
thriven, I must needs come by myself 
to this land of Spain: a country in 
which no foreigner settles without 
dying of a broken heart sooner or later. 
I had an idea in my head that I could 
make a fortune at once, by bringing a 
cargo of common English goods, like 
those which I had been in the habit of 



selling amongst the villagers of Eng- 
land. So I freighted half a ship with 
such goods, for I had been successful 
in England in my little speculations, 
and I arrived at Coruna. Here at once 
my vexations began: disappointment 
followed disappointment. It was with 
the utmost difficulty that I could obtain 
permission to land my goods, and this 
only at a considerable sacrifice in bribes 
and the like; and when I had esta- 
blished myself here, I found that the 
place was one of no trade, and that my 
goods went off very slowly, and scarcely 
at prime cost. I wished to remove to 
another place, but was informed that, 
in that case, I must leave my goods 
behind, unless I offered fresh bribes, 
which would have ruined me ; and in 
this way I have gone on for fourteen 
years, selling scarcely enough to pay 
for my shop and to support myself. 
And so I shall doubtless continue till I 
die, or my goods are exhausted. In 
an evil day I left England and came to 
Spain. 

Myself. — Did you not say that you 
had a countryman at St. James ? 

Luigi. — Yes, a poo* honest fellow, 
who, like myself, by some strange 
chance found his way to Galicia. I 
sometimes contrive to send him a few 
goods, which he sells at St. James at a 
greater profit than I can here. He is 
a happy fellow, for he has never been 
in England, and knows not the differ- 
ence between the two countries. Oh, 
the green English hedgerows \ and the 
alehouses ! and, what is much more, the 
fair dealing and security. I have tra- 
velled all over England and never met 
with ill usage, except once down in the 
north amongst the Papists, upon my 
telling them to leave all their mum- 
meries and go to the parish church as 
I did, and as all my countrymen in 
England did; for know one thing, 
Signor Giorgio, not one of us who have 
lived in England, whether Piedmontese 
or men of Como, but wished well to the 
Protestant religion, if he had not ac- 
tually become a member of it. 

- Myself — What do you propose to do 
at present, Luigi? What are your 
prospects ? 

Luigi. — My prospects are a blank, 



CHAP. XXVI.] 



Giorgio ; ray prospects are a blank. I 
propose nothing bnt to die in Coruna, 
perhaps in the hospital, if they will 
admit rue. Years ago I thought of 
fleeing, even if I left all behind me, 
and either returning to England, or 
betaking myself to America; but it is 
too late now, Giorgio, it is too late. 
When I first lost all hope I took to 
drinking, to which I was never before 
inclined, and I am now what I sup- 
pose you see. 

" There is hope in the Gospel," said 
I, " even for you. I will send you 
one." 

There is a small battery of the old 
town which fronts the east, and whose 
wall is washed by the waters of the bay. 
It is a sweet spot, and the prospect 
which opens from it is extensive. The 
battery itself may be about eighty yards 
square ; some young trees are springing 
up about it, and it is rather a favourite 
resort of the people of Coruna. 

In the centre of this battery stands 
the tomb of Moore, built by the chival- 
rous French, in commemoration of the 
fall of their heroic antagonist. It is 
oblong, and surmounted by a slab, and 
on either side bears one of the simple 
and sublime epitaphs for which our 
rivals are celebrated, and which stand in 
such powerful contrast with the bloated 
and bombastic inscriptions which de- 
form the walls of Westminster Abbey : 

" JOHN MOORE, 

LEADER OF THE ENGLISH AR3IIES, 
SLAIN IN BATTLE, 

1809." 

The tomb itself is of marble, and around 
it is a quadrangular wall, breast high, 
of rough Gallegan granite ; close to 



155 



each corner rises from the earth the 
breech of an immense brass cannon, 
intended to keep the wall compact and 
close. These outer erections are, how- 
ever, not the work of the French, but 
of the English government. 

Yes, there lies the hero, almost within 
sight of the glorious hill where he 
turned upon his pursuers like a lion at 
bay and terminated his career. Many 
acquire immortality without seeking it, 
and die before its first ray has gilded 
their name ; of these was Moore. The 
harassed general, flying through Cas- 
tile with his dispirited troops before a 
fierce and terrible enemy, little dreamed 
that he was on the point of attaining 
that for which many a better, greater, 
though certainly not braver man, had 
sighed in vain. His very misfortunes 
were the means which secured him im- 
mortal fame: his disastrous route, bloody 
death, and finally his tomb on a foreign 
strand, far from kin and friends. There 
is scarcely a Spaniard but has heard of 
this tomb, and speaks of it with a 
strange kind of awe. Immense trea- 
sures are said to have been buried with 
the heretic general, though for what 
purpose no one pretends to guess. The 
demons of the clouds, if we may trust 
the Gallegans, followed the English in 
their flight, and assailed them with 
water-spouts as they toiled up the steep 
winding paths of Fuencebadon ; whilst 
legends the most wild are related of 
the manner in which the stout soldier 
fell. Yes, even in Spain, immortality 
has already crowned the head of Moore ; 
— Spain, the land of oblivion, where 
the Guadalete * flows. 



* The ancient Lethe. 



THE BIBLE IX SPATN. 



I 156 ] 



CHAPTER XXVII. 



CJompostella — Key Romero— The Treasure-seeker — Hopeful Project— The Church of Refuge- 
Hidden Riches — The Canon — Spirit of Localism — The Leper — Bones of Saint James. 



At the commencement of August I 
found myself at Saint James of Com- 
postella. To this place I travelled 
from Cormla with the courier or weekly 
post, who was escorted by a strong 
party of soldiers, in consequence of the 
distracted state of the country, which 
was overrun with banditti. From Co- 
ruila to Saint James the distance is but 
ten leagues ; the journey, however, en- 
dured for a day and a half. It was a 
pleasant one, through a most beauti- 
ful country, with a rich variety of 
hill and dale ; the road was in many 
places shaded with various kinds of 
trees clad in most luxuriant foliage. 
Hundreds of travellers, both on foot 
and on horseback, availed themselves 
of the security which the escort af- 
forded : the dread of banditti was strong. 
During the journey two or three alarms 
were given ; we, however, reached Saint 
James without having been attacked. 

Saint James stands on a pleasant 
level amidst mountains : the most ex- 
traordinary of these is a conical hill, 
called the Pico Sacro, or Sacred Peak, 
connected with which are many wonder- 
ful legends. A beautiful old town is 
Saint James, containing about twenty 
thousand inhabitants. Time has been 
when, with the single exception of 
Rome, it was the most celebrated re- 
sort of pilgrims in the world; its ca- 
thedral being said to contain the bones 
of Saint James the elder, the child of 
the thunder, who, according to the 
legend of the Romish church, first 
preached the Gospel in Spain. Its 
glory, however, as a place of pilgrim- 
age is rapidly passing away. 

The cathedral, though a work of 
various periods, and exhibiting various 
styles of architecture, is a majestic 
venerable pile, in every respect calcu- 



lated to excite awe and admiration; 
indeed, it is almost impossible to walk 
its long dusky aisles, and hear the 
solemn music and the noble chanting, 
and inhale the incense of the mighty 
censers, which are at times swung so 
high by machinery as to smite the 
vaulted roof, whilst gigantic tapers 
glitter here and there amongst the 
gloom, from the shrine of many a saint, 
before which the worshippers are kneel- 
ing, breathing forth their prayers and 
petitions for help, love, and mercy, and 
entertain a doubt that we are treading 
the Moor of a house where God de- 
lighteth to dwell. Yet the Lord is 
distant from that house ; he hears not, 
he sees not, or if he do, it is with 
anger. What availeth that solemn 
music, that noble chanting, that in- 
cense of sweet savour ? What availeth 
kneeling before that grand altar of sil- 
ver, surmounted by that figure with its 
silver hat and breast-plate, the emblem 
of one who, though an apostle and con- 
fessor, was at best an unprofitable ser- 
vant? What availeth hoping for re- 
mission of sin by trusting in the merits 
of one who possessed none, or by pay- 
ing homage to others who were born 
and nurtured in sin, and who alone, by 
the exercise of a lively faith granted 
from above, could hope to preserve 
themselves from the wrath of the Al- 
mighty ? 

Rise from your knees, ye children of 
Compostella, or if ye bend, let it be to 
the Almighty alone, and no longer on 
the eve of your patron's day address 
him in the following strain, however 
sublime it may sound : — 

" Thou shield of that faith which in Spain we 
revere, 

Thou scourge of each foeman who dares to 
draw near j 



CBaP. XXVII.] 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN". 



157 



Whom the Son of that God who the ele- 
ments tames. 

Call'd child of the thunder, immortal Saint 
James ! 

" From the blessed asylum of glory intense, 
Upon us thy sovereign influence dispense ; 
And list to the praises our gratitude aims 
To offer up worthily, mighty Saint James ! 

" To thee fervent thanks Spain shall ever 
outpour; 

In thy name though she glory, she glories 
yet more 

In thy thrice hallow'd corse, which the sanc- 
tuary claims 
Of high Compostella, O "blessed Saint James ! 

** When heathen impiety, loathsome and 
dread, 

With a chaos of darkness our Spain over- 
spread, 

Thou wast the first light which dispell'd 

with its flames 
The hell-born obscurity, glorious Saint 

James ! 

tr And when terrible wars had nigh wasted 
our force, 

All bright 'midst the battle we saw thee on 
horse, 

Fierce scattering the hosts, whom their fury 
proclaims 

To be warriors of Islam, victorious Saint 
James ! 

" Beneath thy direction, stretch'd prone at 
thy feet, 

With hearts low and humble, this day we 
entreat 

Thou wilt strengthen the hope which enli- 
vens our frames, 

The hope of thy favour and presence, Saint 
James. 

•* Then praise to the Son and the Father 
above, 

And to that Holy Spirit which springs from 
their love ; 

To that bright emanation whose vividness 
shames 

The sun's burst of splendour, and praise to 
Saint James." 

At Saint James I met with a kind 
and cordial coadjutor in my biblical 
labours in the bookseller of the place, 
Rey Romero, a man of about sixty. 
This excellent individual, who was 
both wealthy and respected, took up 
the matter with an enthusiasm which 
doubtless emanated from on high, losing 
no opportunity of recommending my 
book to those who entered his shop, 
which was in the Azabacheria, and was 
a very splendid and commodious esta- 
blishment. In many instances, when 
the peasants of the neighbourhood came 
with an intention of purchasing some 



of the foolish popular story-books of 
Spain, he persuaded them to carry home 
Testaments instead, assuring them that 
the sacred volume was a better, more 
instructive, and even far more enter- 
taining book than those they came in 
quest of. He speedily conceived a great 
fancy for me, and regularly came to 
visit me every evening at my posada, 
and accompanied me in my walks 
about the town and the environs. He 
was a man of considerable information, 
and though of much simplicity, pos- 
sessed a kind of good-natured humour 
which was frequently highly diverting. 

I was walking late one night alone 
in the Alameda of Saint James, con- 
sidering in what direction I should 
next bend my course, for I had been 
already ten days in this place; the 
moon was shining gloriously, and il- 
lumined every object around to a con- 
siderable distance. The Alameda was 
quite deserted; every body, with the 
exception of myself, having for some . 
time retired. I sat down on a bench 
and continued my reflections, which 
were suddenly interrupted by a heavy 
stumping sound. Turning my eyes in 
the direction from which it proceeded, 
I perceived what at first appeared a 
shapeless bulk slowly advancing : nearer 
and nearer it drew, and I could now 
distinguish the outline of a man dressed 
in coarse brown garments, a kind of 
Andalusian hat, and using as a staff 
the long peeled branch of a tree. He 
had now arrived opposite the bench 
where I was seated, when, stopping, 
he took off his hat and demanded 
charity in uncouth tones and in a 
strange jargon, which had some re- 
semblance to the Catalan. The moon 
shone on grey locks and on a ruddy 
weather-beaten countenance which I at 
once recognised : " Benedict Mol," said 
I, " is it possible that I see you at Com- 
postella?" 

" Och, mein Gott, es ist der Herr ! " 
replied Benedict. " Och, what good 
fortune, that the Herr is the first person 
I meet at Compostella V 

Myself. — I can scarcely believe my 
eyes. Do you mean to say that you 
have just arrived at this place ? 



158 



Benedict — Ow yes, I am this mo- 
ment arrived. I have walked all the 
long way from Madrid. 

Myself. — What motive could possibly 
bring you such a distance ? 

Benedict. — Ow, I am come for the 
schatz — the treasure. I told you at 
Madrid that I was coming ; and now I 
have met you here, I have no doubt that 
I shall find it, the schatz. 

Myself. — In what manner did you 
support yourself by the way ? 

Benedict. — Ow, I begged, I bettled, 
and so contrived to pick up some cuar- 
tos ; and when I reached Toro, I worked 
at my trade of soap-making for a time, 
till the people said I knew nothing about 
it, and drove me out of the town. So 
I went on and begged and bettled till 
I arrived at 0 reuse, which is in this 
country of Galicia. Ow, I do not like 
this country of Galicia at all. 

Myself .--Why not? 

Benedict. — Why ! because here they 
all beg and bettle, and have scarce any- 
thing for themselves, much less for me, 
whom they know to be a foreign man. 

0 the misery of Galicia ! When I ar- 
rive at night at one of their pigsties, 
which they call posadas, and ask for 
bread to eat in the name of God, and 
straw to lie down in, they curse me, 
and say there is neither bread nor straw 
in Galicia: and sure enough, since I 
have been here I have seen neither, only 
something that they call broa, and a 
kind of reedy rubbish with which they 
litter the horses : all my bones are sore 
since I entered Galicia. 

Myself. — And yet you have come to 
this country, which you call so miser- 
able, in search of treasure ? 

Benedict. — Ow yaw, but the schatz 
is buried ; it is not above ground ; there 
is no money above ground in Galicia. 

1 must dig it up ; and when I have dug 
it up I will purchase a coach with six 
mules, and ride out of Galicia to Lu- 
cerne; and if the Herr pleases to go 
with me, he shall be welcome to go 
with me and the schatz. 

Myself — I am afraid that you have 
come on a desperate errand. What do 
you propose to do? Have you any 
money ? 



[chap. XXVII. 

Benedict. — Not a cuart ; but I do not 
care now I have arrived at St. James. 
The schatz is nigh ; and I have, more- 
over, seen you, which is a good sign ; it 
tells me that the schatz is still here. 
1 shall go to the best posada in the 
place, and live like a duke till I have 
an opportunity of digging up the schatz, 
when I will pay all scores. 

" Do nothing of the kind," I replied ; 
" find out some place in which to sleep, 
and endeavour to seek some employ- 
ment. In the mean time, here is a trifle 
with which to support yourself ; but as 
for the treasure which you have come 
to seek, I believe it only exists in your 
own imagination." I gave him a dollar 
and departed. 

I have never enjoyed more charming 
walks than in the neighbourhood of 
Saint James. In these I was almost 
invariably accompanied by my friend 
the good old bookseller. The streams 
are numerous, and along their wooded 
banks we were in the habit of straying 
and enjoying the delicious summer 
evenings of this part of Spain. Religion 
generally formed the topic of our con- 
versation, but we not unfrequently talked 
of the foreign lands which I had visited, 
and at other times of matters which re- 
lated particularly to my companion. 
" We booksellers of Spain," said he, 
" are all liberals ; we are no friends to 
the monkish system. How indeed 
should we be friends to it ? It fosters 
darkness, whilst we live by disseminat- 
ing light. We love our profession, and 
have all more or less suffered for it; 
many of us, in the times of terror, were 
hanged for selling an innocent transla- 
tion from the French or English. 
Shortly after the Constitution was put 
down by Angouleme and the French 
bayonets, I was obliged to flee from 
Saint James and take refuge in the 
wildest part of Galicia, near Corcuvion. 
Had I not possessed good friends, I 
should not have been alive now ; as it 
was, it cost me a considerable sum of 
money to arrange matters. Whilst I 
was away, my shop was in charge of 
the ecclesiastical officers. They fre- 
quently told my wife that I ought to be 
burnt for the books which I had sold. 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



CHAP. XXVII.] 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



Thanks he to God, those times are past, 
and I hope they will never return." 

Once, as we were walking through 
the streets of Saint James, he stopped 
before a church and looked at it atten- 
tively. As there was nothing remark- 
able in the appearance of this edifice, I 
asked him what motive he had for tak- 
ing such notice of it. " In the days of 
the friars," said he, " this church was 
one of refuge, to which if the worst 
criminals escaped, they were safe. All 
were protected there save the negroes, 
as they called us liberals." " Even 
murderers, I suppose ? " said I. " Mur- 
derers ! " he answered, " far worse cri- 
minals than they. By the bye, I have 
heard that you English entertain the 
utmost abhorrence of murder. Do you 
in reality consider it a crime of very 
great magnitude ? " " How should we 
not ?" I replied ; " for every other crime 
some reparation can be made ; but if we 
take away life, we take away all. A 
ray of hope with respect to this world 
may occasionally enliven the bosom of 
any other criminal, but how can the 
murderer hope ? " " The friars were 
of another way of thinking," replied the 
old man ; " they always looked upon 
murder as a friolera; but not so the 
crime of marrying your first cousin 
without dispensation, for which, if we 
believe them, there is scarcely any 
atonement either in this world or the 
next." 

Two or three days after this, as we 
were seated in my apartment in the po- 
sada, engaged in conversation, the door 
was opened by Antonio, who, with a 
smile on his countenance, said that there 
was a foreign gentleman below who de- 
sired to speak with me. " Show him 
up," I replied; whereupon almost in- 
stantly appeared Benedict Mol. 

" This is a most extraordinary per- 
son," said I to the bookseller. " You 
Galicians, in general, leave your coun- 
try in quest of money ; he, on the con- 
trary, is come hither to find some." 

Bey Romero. — And he is right. Ga- 
licia is by nature the richest province in 
Spain, but the inhabitants are very stu- 
pid, and know not how to turn the 
blessings which surround them to any 
account ; but as a proof of what may be 



made out of Gaiicia, see how rich the 
Catalans become who have settled down 
here and formed establishments. Hi ere 
are riches all around us, upon the earth 
and in the earth. 

Benedict. — Ow yaw, in the earth, 
that is what I say. There is much 
more treasure below the earth than 
above it. 

lit/self. — Since 1 last saw you, have 
you discovered the place in which you 
say the treasure is deposited ? 

Benedict. — 0 yes, I know all about 
it now. It is buried 5 neath the sacristy 
in the church of San Roque. 

Myself. — How have you been able to 
make that discovery ? 

Benedict. — I will tell you : the day 
after my arrival I walked about all the 
city in quest of the church, but could 
find none which at all answered to the 
signs which my comrade who died in 
the hospital gave me. I entered several, 
and looked about, but all in vain ; I 
could not find the place which I had in 
my mind's eye. At last the people with 
whom I lodge, and to whom I told my 
business, advised me to send for a 
meiga. 

Myself.— A meiga ! What is that ? 

Benedict. — Ow ! a haxweib, a witch ; 
the Gallegos call them so in their jar- 
gon, of which I can scarcely understand 
a word. So I consented, and they sent 
for the meiga. Och! what a weib is 
that meiga ! I never saw such a wo- 
man ; she is as large as myself, and has 
a face as round and red as the sun. She 
asked me a great many questions in her 
Gallegan ; and when I had told her 
all she wanted to know, she pulled out 
a pack of card^ and laid them on the 
table in a particular manner, and then 
she said that the treasure was in the 
church of San Roque : and sure enough, 
when I went to that church, it answered 
in every respect to the signs of my com- 
rade who died in the hospital. O she is a 
powerful hax, that meiga ; she is well 
known in the neighbourhood, and has 
done much harm to the cattle. I gave 
her half the dollar I had from you for 
her trouble. 

Myself. — Then you acted like a sim- 
pleton; she has grossly deceived you. 
But even suppose that the treasure is 

M 



160 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



[chap. XXVIl t 



really deposited in the church you men- 
tion, it is not probable that you will be 
permitted to remove the floor of the 
sacristy to search for it. 

Benedict. — Ow, the matter is already 
well advanced. Yesterday I went to 
one of the canons to confess myself and 
to receive absolution and benediction ; 
not that I regard these things much, 
but I thought this would be the best 
means of broaching the matter, so I 
confessed myself, and then I spoke of 
my travels to the canon, and at last I 
told him of the treasure, and proposed 
that if he assisted me we should share 
it between us. Ow, I wish you had 
seen him ; he entered at once into the 
affair, and said that it might turn out 
a very profitable speculation : and he 
shook me by the hand, and said that I 
was an honest Swiss and a good Catholic. 
And I then proposed that he should 
take me into his house and keep me 
there till we had an opportunity of dig- 
ging up the treasure together. This he 
refused to do. 

Rey Romero. — Of that I have no 
doubt : trust one of our canons for not 
committing himself so far until he sees 
very good reason. These tales of trea- 
sure are at present rather too stale : we 
have heard of them ever since the time 
of the Moors. 

Benedict. — -He advised me to go to 
the Captain-General and obtain permis- 
sion to make excavations, in which case 
he promised to assist me to the utmost 
of his power. 

Thereupon the Swiss departed, and I 
neither saw nor heard anything further 
of him during the time that I continued 
at Saint James. 

The bookseller was never weary of 
showing me about his native town, of 
which he was enthusiastically fond. 
Indeed, I have never seen the spirit of 
localism, which is so prevalent through- 
out Spain, more strong than at Saint 
James. If their town did but flourish, 
the Santiagians seemed to care but little 
if all others in Galicia perished. Their 
antipathy to the town of Coruna was 
unbounded, and this feeling had of late 
been not a little increased from the cir- 
cumstance that the seat of the provincial 
government had been removed from 



Saint James to Coruna. Whether this 
change was advisable or not, it is not 
for me, who am a foreigner, to say ; 
my private opinion, however, is by no 
means favourable to the alteration. 
Saint James is one of the most central 
towns in Galicia, with large and popu- 
lous communities on every side of it, 
whereas Coruna stands in a corner, at 
a considerable distance from the rest. 
" It is a pity that the vecinos of Coruna 
cannot contrive to steal away from us 
our cathedral, even as they have done 
our government," said a Santiagian ; 
" then, indeed, they would be able to 
cut some figure. As it is, they have 
not a church fit to say mass in." " A 
great pity, too, that they cannot remove 
our hospital," would another exclaim : 
" as it is, they are obliged to send us 
their sick poor wretches. I always 
think that the sick of Coruna have 
more ill-favoured countenances than 
those from other places ; but what good 
can come from Coruna ?" 

Accompanied by the bookseller, I 
visited this hospital, in which, however, 
I did not remain long ; the wretched- 
ness and uncleanliness which I observed 
speedily driving me away. Saint James, 
indeed, is the grand lazar-house for all 
the rest of Galicia, which accounts for 
the prodigious number of horrible ob- 
jects to be seen in its streets, who have 
for the most part arrived in the hope 
of procuring medical assistance, which, 
from what I could learn, is very scantily 
and inernciently administered. Amongst 
these unhappy wretches I occasionally 
observed the terrible leper, and instantly 
fled from him with a " God help thee," 
as if I had been a Jew of old. Galicia 
is the only province of Spain where 
cases of leprosy are still frequent ; a 
convincing prDof this that the disease 
is the result of foul feeding, and an 
inattention to cleanliness, as the Galle- 
gans, with regard to the comforts of 
life and civilized habits, are confessedly 
far behind all the other natives of 
Spain. 

" Besides a general hospital, we have 
likewise a leper-house," said the book- 
seller. 4 i Shall I show it you ? We 
have everything at Saint James. The?-e 
is nothing lacking : the very leper finds 



CHAP. XXVII.J 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



161 



an inn here." " I have no objection to 
your showing me the house," I replied, 
" but it must be at a distance, for enter 
it I will not." Thereupon he con- 
ducted me down the road which leads 
towards Padron and Vigo, and pointing 
to two or three huts, exclaimed, " That 
is our leper-house." " It appears a 
miserable place," I replied : " what ac- 
commodation may there be for the pa- 
tients, and who attends to their wants ?" 
<; They are left to themselves," answered 
the bookseller, " and probably sometimes 
perish from neglect: the place at one 
time was endowed, and had rents, w hich 
were appropriated to its support, but 
even these have been sequestered during 
the late troubles. At present, the least 
unclean of the lepers generally takes 
his station by the road-side, and begs 
for the rest. See, there he is now." 

And sure enough the leper, in his 
shining scales, and half naked, was 
seated beneath a ruined wall. We 
dropped money into the hat of the un- 
happy being, and passed on. 

" A bad disorder that," said my friend. 
" I confess that I, who have seen so 
many of them, am by no means fond of 
the company of lepers. Indeed I wish 
that they would never enter my shop, 
as they occasionally do to beg. Nothing 
is more infectious, as I have heard, than 
leprosy : there is one very virulent spe- 
cies, however, which is particularly 
dreaded here, the elephantine: those 
who die of it should, according to law, 
be burnt, and their ashes scattered to 
tb.p vinds: for if the body of such a 



leper be interred in the field of the dead, 
the disorder is forthwith communicated 
to all the corses even below the earth. 
Such at least is our idea in these parts. 
Law-suits are at present pending from 
the circumstance of elephantides having 
been buried with the other dead. Sad 
is leprosy in all its forms, but most so 
when elephantine." 

" Talking of corses," said I, " do you 
believe that the bones of Saint James 
are veritably interred at Compostella ?" 

" What can I say ?" replied the old 
man ; " you know as much of the 
matter as myself. Beneath the high 
altar is a large stone slab or lid, which 
is said to cover the mouth of a profound 
well, at the bottom of which it is be- 
lieved that the bones of the saint are 
interred; though why they should be 
placed at the bottom of a well is a 
mystery which I cannot fathom. One 
of the officers of the church told me 
that at one time he and another kept 
watch in the church during the night, 
one of the chapels having shortly before 
been broken open and a sacrilege com- 
mitted. At the dead of night, finding 
the time hang heavy on their hands, 
they took a crowbar and removed the 
slab, and looked down into the abyss 
below ; it was dark as the grave ; where- 
upon they affixed a weight to the end 
of a long rope, and lowered it down. 
At a very great depth it seemed to strike 
against something dull and solid, like 
lead: they supposed it might be a 
coffin ; perhaps it was, but whose, is 
the question. 



512 



! 162 J 



CHAPTER XXVIII. 



Skippers of Padion— Caldas de los Reyes — Pontevedra — The Notary Public — Insane Barher— 
An Introduction — Gallegan Language — Afternoon Ride — Vigo — The Stranger — Jews ol 
the Desert — Bay of Vigo — Sudden Interruption — The Governor. 



After a stay of about a fortnight at 
Saint James, we again mounted our 
horses and proceeded in the direction 
of Vigo. As we did not leave Saint 
James till late in the afternoon, we 
travelled that day no farther than Pa- 
dron, a distance of only three leagues. 
This place is a small port, situate at 
the extremity of a firth which com- 
municates with the sea. It is called, 
for brevity's sake, Padron, but its pro- 
per appellation is Villa del Padron, or 
the town of the patron saint ; it having 
been, according to the legend, the prin- 
cipal residence of Saint James during 
his stay in Galicia. By the Romans 
it was termed Iria Flavia. It is a 
flourishing little town, and carries on 
rather an extensive commerce, some of 
its tiny barks occasionally finding their 
way across the Bay of Biscay, and" 
even so far as the Thames and London. 

There is a curious anecdote con- 
nected with the skippers of Padron, 
which can scarcely be considered as 
out of place here, as it relates to the 
circulation of the Scriptures. I was 
one day in the shop of my friend the 
bookseller at Saint James, when a stout 
good hirmoured-looking priest entered. 
He took up one of my Testaments, and 
forthwith burst into a violent fit of 
laughter. " What is the matter ? " 
demanded the bookseller. " The sight 
of this book reminds me of a circum- 
stance," replied the other : " about 
twenty years ago, when the English 
first took it into their heads to be very 
zealous in converting us Spaniards to 
their own way of thinking, they dis- 
tributed a great number of books of 
this kind amongst the Spaniards who 
chanced to be in London ; some of 
them fell into the hands of certain 



skippers of Padron, and these good 
folks, on their return to Galicia, were 
observed to have become on a sudden 
exceedingly opinionated and fond of 
dispute. It was scarcely possible to 
make an assertion in their hearing 
without receiving a flat contradiction, 
especially when religious subjects were 
brought on the carpet. < It is false,' 
they would say ; ' Saint Paul, in such 
a chapter and in such a verse, says ex- 
actly the contrary/ 6 What, can you 
know concerning what Saint Paul or 
any other saint has written ? ' the 
priests would ask them. 4 Much more 
than you think,' they replied ; 4 we are 
no longer to be kept in darkness and 
ignorance respecting these matters :' 
and then they would produce their 
books and read paragraphs, making 
such comments that every person was 
scandalized ; they cared nothing about 
the Pope, and even spoke with irre- 
verence of the bones of Saint James. 
However, the matter was soon bruited 
about, and a commission was despatched 
from our see to collect the books and 
burn them. This was effected, and the 
skippers were either punished or re- 
primanded, since which I have heard 
nothing more of them. I could not 
forbear laughing when I saw these 
books ; they instantly brought to my 
mind the skippers of Padron and their 
religious disputations/' 

Our next day's journey brought us 
to Pontevedra. As there was no talk 
of robbers in these parts, we travelled 
without ary escort and alone. The 
road was beautiful and picturesque, 
though somewhat solitary, especially 
after we had left behind us the small 
town of Caldas. There is more than 
one place of this name in Spain ; the 



CHAP. XXVIII.] 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN 



163 



one of which I am speaking is distin- 
guished from the rest by being called 
Caldas de los Reyes, or the warm baths 
of the kings. It will not be amies to 
observe that the Spanish Caldas is sy- 
nonymous with the Moorish Alhama, a 
word of frequent occurrence both in 
Spanish and African topography. Cal- 
das seemed by no means undeserving 
of its name : it stands on a confluence 
of springs, and the place when we 
arrived was crowded with people who 
had come to enjoy the benefit of the 
waters. In the course of my travels I 
have observed that wherever warm 
springs are found, vestiges of volcanoes 
are sure to be nigh ; the smooth black 
precipice, the divided mountain, or 
huge rocks standing by themselves on 
the plain or on the hill side, as if 
Titans had been playing at bowls. 
This last feature occurs near Caldas 
de los Reyes, the side of the mountain 
which overhangs it in the direction of 
the south being covered with immense 
granite stones, apparently at some 
ancient period eructed from the bowels 
of the earth. From Caldas to Ponte- 
vedra the route was hilly and fatiguing, 
the heat was intense, and those clouds 
of flies, which constitute one of the 
pests of Galicia, annoyed our horses to 
such a degree that we were obliged to 
cut down branches from the trees to 
protect their heads and necks from the 
tormenting stings of these blood-thirsty 
insects. Whilst travelling in Galicia 
at this period of the year on horseback, 
it is always advisable to carry a fine 
net for the protection of the animal, a 
sure and commodious means of defence, 
whicl\ appears, however, to be utterly 
unknown in Galicia, where, perhaps, 
it is more wanted than in any other 
part of the world. 

Pontevedra, upon the whole, is cer- 
tainly entitled to the appellation of a 
magnificent town, some of its public 
edifices, especially the convents, being 
such as are nowhere to be found but in 
Spain and Italy. It is surrounded by 
a wall of hewn stone, and stands at the 
end of a creek into which the river 
Levroz disembogues. It is said to have 
been founded by a colony of Greeks, 
whose captain was no less a personage 



than Teucer the Telemonian. It was 
in former times a place of considerable 
commerce ; and near its port are to be 
seen the ruins of a farol, or light-house, 
said to be of great antiquity. The port, 
however, is at a considerable distance 
from the town, and is shallow and in- 
commodious. The whole country in 
the neighbourhood of Pontevedra is in- 
conceivably delicious, abounding with 
fruits of every description, especially 
grapes, which in the proper season are 
seen hanging from the "parras" in 
luscious luxuriance. An old Andalu- 
sian author has said that it produces as 
many orange and citron trees as the 
neighbourhood of Cordova. Its oranges 
are, however, by no means good, and 
cannot compete with those of Anda- 
lusia. The Pontevedrians boast that 
their land produces two crops every 
year, and that whilst they are gather- 
ing in one they may be seen ploughing 
and sowing another. They may well 
be proud of their country, which is cer- 
tainly a highly favoured spot. 

The town itself is in a state of great 
decay, and, notwithstanding the magni- 
ficence of its public edifices, we found 
more than the usual amount of Galician 
filth and misery. The posada was one 
of the most wretched description, and 
to mend the matter, the hostess was a 
most intolerable scold and shrew. An- 
tonio having found fault with the qua- 
lity of some provision which she pro- 
duced, she cursed him most immoder- 
ately in the country language, which 
was the only one she spoke, and threat- 
ened, if he attempted to breed any dis- 
turbance in her house, to turn the 
horses, himself, and his master forth- 
with out of doors. Socrates himself, 
however, could not have conducted him- 
self on this occasion with greater for- 
bearance than Antonio, who shrugged 
his shoulders, muttered something in 
Greek, and then was silent. 

" Where does the notary public live ?" 
I demanded. Now the notary public 
vended books, and to this personage I 
was recommended by my friend at 
Saint James. A boy conducted me to 
the house of Senor Garcia, for such was 
his name. I found him a brisk, active, 
| talkative little man of forty. He un- 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



[ chap, xxviii. 



dertook with great alacrity the sale of 
my Testaments, and in a twinkling sold 
fwo to a client who was waiting in the 
office, and appeared to be from the 
Gouritry. He was an enthusiastic pa- 
triot, but of course in a local sense, for 
he cared for no other country than 
Pontevedra. 

" Those fellows of Vigo," said he, 
" say their town is a better one than 
ours, and that it is more deserving to 
the capital of this part of Galicia. Did 
you ever hear such folly ? I tell you 
what, friend, I should not care if Vigo 
were burnt, and all the fools and rascals 
within it. Would you ever think of 
comparing Vigo with Pontevedra ?" 

" I don't know," I replied ; " I have 
never been at Vigo, but I have heard 
say that the bay of Vigo is the finest 
in the world." 

" Bay ! my good sir. Bay ! yes, the 
rascals have a bay, and it is that bay 
of theirs which has robbed us of all 
our commerce. But what needs the 
capital of a district with a bay ? It is 
public edifices that it wants, where the 
provincial deputies can meet to transact 
their business : now, so far from there 
being a commodious public edifice, there 
is not a decent house in all Vigo. Bay ! 
yes, they have a bay, but have they 
water fit to drink ? Have they a foun- 
tain? Yes, they have, and the water 
is so brackish that it would burst the 
stomach of a horse. I hope, my dear 
sir, that you have not come all this 
distance to take the part of such a gang 
of pirates as those of Vigo ?" 

" I am not come to take their part," 
I replied ; " indeed, I was not aware 
that they wanted my assistance in this 
dispute. I am merely carrying to them 
the New Testament, of which they 
evidently stand in much need, if they 
are such knaves and scoundrels as you 
represent them." 

" Represent them, my dear sir ! Does 
not the matter speak for itself? Do 
they not say that their town is better 
than ours, more fit to be the capital of 
a district ? que disparate 1 que bribo- 
neria! (what folly! what rascality !)" 

"Is there a bookseller's shop at 
Vigo ?" I inquired. 

" There was one." he replied, " kept 



by an insane barber. I am glad, for 
your sake, that it is broken up, and the 
fellow vanished ; he would have played 
you one of two tricks ; he would either 
have cut your throat with his razor, 
under pretence of shaving you, or have 
taken your books and never have ac- 
counted to you for the proceeds. Bay ! 
I never could see what right such an 
owl's nest as Vigo has to a bay !" 

No person could exhibit greater kind- 
ness to another than did the notary- 
public to myself, as soon as I had con- 
vinced him that I had no intention of 
siding with the men of Vigo against 
Pontevedra. It was now six o'clock in 
the evening, and he forthwith conducted 
me to a confectioner's shop, where he 
treated me with an iced cream and a 
small cup of chocolate. From hence 
we walked about the city, the notary 
showing the various edifices, especially 
the Convent of the Jesuits : " See that 
front," said he ; " what do you think 
of it?" 

I expressed to him the admiration 
which I really felt, and by so doing 
entirely won the good notary's heart : 
" I suppose there is nothing like that 
at Vigo?" said I. He looked at me 
for a moment, winked, gave a short 
triumphant chuckle, and then proceeded 
on his way, walking at a tremendous 
rate. The Senor Garcia was dressed 
in all respects as an English notary 
might be ; he wore a white hat, brown 
frock coat, drab breeches buttoned at 
the knees, white stockings, and well 
blacked shoes. But I never saw an 
English notary walk so fast : it could 
scarcely be called walking : it seemed 
more like a succession of galvanic leaps 
and bounds. I found it impossible to 
keep up with him: "Where are you 
conducting me?" I at last demanded, 
quite breathless. 

" To the house of the cleverest man 
in Spain," he replied, " to whom I in- 
tend to introduce you ; for you must 
not think that Pontes edra has nothing 
to boast of but its splendid edifices and 
its beautiful country ; it produces more 
illustrious minds than any other town 
in Spain. Did you ever hear of the 
grand Tamerlane ?" 

" Oh, yes," said I, " but he did not 



CHAP. XXVIII.] 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



165 



come from Pontevedra or its neighbour- 
hood : he came from the steppes of 
Tartary, near the river Oxus." 

<k I know he did," replied the notary, 
" but what I mean to say is, that when 
Enrique the Third wanted an ambas- 
sador to send to that African, the only 
man he could find suited to the enter- 
prise was a knight of Pontevedra, Don 
***** D y name . Let the men 
of Yigo contradict that fact if they 
can." 

We entered a large portal and as- 
cended a splendid staircase, at the top 
of which the notary knocked at a small 
door : "Who is the gentleman to whom 
you are about to introduce me ?" de- 
manded I. 

" It is the advocate * * * *," replied 
Garcia ; " he is the cleverest man in 
Spain, and understands ail languages 
and sciences." 

We were admitted by a respectable 
looking female, to all appearance a 
housekeeper, who, on being questioned, 
informed us that the Advocate was at 
home, and forthwith conducted us to an 
immense room, or rather library, the 
walls being covered with books, except 
in two or three places, where hung some 
fine pictures of the ancient Spanish 
school. There was a rich mellow light 
in the apartment, streaming through a 
window of stained glass, which looked 
to the west. Behind the table sat the 
Advocate, on whom I looked with no 
little interest : his forehead was high 
and wrinkled, and there was much 
gravity on his features, which were 
quite Spanish. He was dressed in a 
long robe, and might be about sixty : 
he sat reading behind a large table, and 
on our entrance half raised himself, and 
bowed slightly. 

The notary public saluted him most 
profoundly, and, in an under voice, hoped 
that he might be permitted to introduce 
a friend of his, an English gentleman, 
who was travelling through Galicia. 

" I am very glad to see him," said 
the Advocate, " but I hope he speaks 
Castilian, else we can have but little 
communication ; for, although I can 
read both French and Latin, I cannot 
speak them." 

" He speaks, sir, almost as good 



Spanish," said the notary, " as a native 
of Pontevedra/' 

" The natives of Pontevedra," I re- 
plied, " appear to be better versed in 
Gallegan than in Castilian, for the 
greater part of the conversation which 
I hear in the streets is carried on in 
the former dialect." 

" The last gentleman which my 
friend Garcia introduced to me," said 
the Advocate, " was a Portuguese, who 
spoke little or no Spanish. It is said 
that the Gallegan and Portuguese are 
very similar, but when we attempted 
to converse in the two languages, we 
found it impossible. I understood little 
of what he said, whilst my Gallegan 
was quite unintelligible to him. Can 
you understand our country dialect?" 
he continued. 

" Very little of it," I replied ; " which 
I believe chiefly proceeds from the pe- 
culiar accent and uncouth enunciation 
of the Gallegan s, for their language is 
certainly almost entirely composed of 
Spanish and Portuguese words." 

" So you are an Englishman," said 
the Advocate. " Your countrymen have 
committed much damage in times past 
in these regions, if we may trust our 
histories." 

" Yes," said I, " they sank your gal- 
leons, and burnt your finest men-of-war 
in Vigo Bay, and, under old Cobham, 
levied a contribution of forty thousand 
pounds sterling on this very town of 
Pontevedra." 

" Any foreign power," interrupted 
the notary public, " has a clear right to 
attack Vigo, but I cannot conceive what 
plea your countrymen could urge for 
distressing Pontevedra, which is a re- 
spectable town, and could never have 
offended them." 

" Senor Cavalier," said the Advocate. 
" I will show you my library. Here 
is a curious work, a collection of poems, 
written mostly in Gallegan, by the 
curate of Fruime. He is our national 
poet, and we are very proud of him." 

We stopped upwards of an hour with 
the Advocate, whose conversation, if it 
did not convince me that he was the 
cleverest man in Spain, was, upon the 
whole, highly interesting, and who cer- 
tainly possessed an extensive store 01 



1G6 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



[chap, xxt hi, 



general information, though he was by 
no means the profound philologist which 
the notary had represented him to be. 

When I was about to depart from 
Pontevedra in the afternoon of the next 
day, the Senor Garcia stood by the side 
of my horse, and, having embraced me, 
thrust a smell pamphlet into my hand : 
" This book," said he, " contains a de- 
scription of Pontevedra. Wherever you 
go, speak well of Pontevedra." 1 nodded. 
" Stay," said he, " my dear friend, I 
have heard of your society, and will 
do my best to further its views. I am 
quite disinterested, but if at any future 
time you should have an opportunity 
of speaking in print of Senor Garcia, 
the notary public of Pontevedra — you 
understand me — I wish you would do 
so." 

" I will," said I. 

It was a pleasant afternoon's ride 
from Pontevedra to Vigo, the distance 
being only four leagues. As we ap- 
proached the latter town, the country be- 
came exceedingly mountainous, though 
scarcely anything could exceed the 
beauty of the surrounding scenery. 
The sides of the hills were for the most 
part clothed with luxuriant forests, even 
to the very summits, though occasion- 
ally a flinty and naked peak would pre- 
sent itself, rising to the clouds. As the 
evening came on the route along which 
we advanced became very gloomy, the 
hills and forests enwrapping it in deep 
shade. It appeared, however, to be 
well frequented : numerous cars were 
creaking along it, and both horsemen 
and pedestrians were continually pass- 
ing us. The villages were frequent. 
Vines, supported on parras, were grow- 
ing, if possible, in still greater abun- 
dance than in the neighbourhood of 
Pontevedra. Life and activity seemed 
to pervade everything. The hum of 
insects, the cheerful bark of dogs, the 
rude songs of Galicia, were blended 
together in pleasant symphony. So 
delicious was my ride that I almost 
regretted when we entered the gate of 
Vigo. 

The town occupies the lower part of 
a lofty hill, which, as it ascends, be- 
comes extremely steep and precipitous, 
and the top of which is crowned with a 



strong fort or castle. It is a small com- 
pact place, surrounded with low walls ; 
the streets are narrow, steep, and wind- 
ing, and in the middle of the town is a 
small square. 

There is rather an extensive faubourg 
extending along the shore of the bay. 
We found an excellent posada, kept by 
a man and woman from the Basque 
provinces, who were both civil and 
intelligent. The town seemed to be 
crowded, and resounded with noise and 
merriment. The people were making 
a wretched attempt at an illumination, 
in consequence of some victory lately 
gained, or pretended to have been 
gained, over the forces of the Pre- 
tender. Military uniforms were glanc- 
ing about in every direction. To in- 
crease the bustle, a troop of Portuguese 
players had lately arrived from Oporto, 
and their first representation was to 
take place this evening. " Is the play 
to be performed in Spanish ?" I de- 
manded. " No," was the reply ; " and 
on that account every person is so eager 
to go, which would not be the case if 
it were in a language which they could 
understand." 

On the morning of the next day I 
was seated at breakfast in a large apart- 
ment which looked out upon the Plaza 
Mayor, or great square of the good 
town of Vigo. The sun was shining 
very brilliantly, and all around looked 
lively and gay. Presently a stranger 
entered, and, bowing profoundly, sta- 
tioned himself at the window, where 
he remained a considerable time in 
silence. He was a man of very remark- 
able appearance, of about thirty-five. 
His features were of perfect symmetry, 
and I may almost say of perfect beauty. 
His hair was the darkest I had ever 
seen, glossy and shining ; his eyes large, 
black, and melancholy ; but that which 
most struck me was his complexion. 
It might be called olive, it is true, but 
it was a livid olive. He was dressed 
in the very first style of French fashion. 
Around his neck was a massive gold 
chain, while upon his fingers were large 
rings, in one of which was set a mag- 
nificent ruby. Who can that man be ? 
thought I— Spaniard or Portuguese 
perhaps a Creole. I asked him an in- 



CHAP. XXVIII.] 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



different question in Spanish, to which 
he forthwith replied in that language, 
but his accent convinced me that he 
was neither Spaniard nor Portuguese. 

" I presume I am speaking to an 
Englishman, sir," said he, in as good 
English as it was possible for one not 
an Englishman to speak. 

Myself. — You know me to be an 
Englishman; but I should find some 
difficulty in guessing to what country 
you belong. 

Stranger. — May I take a seat ? 

Myself. — A singular question. Have 
you not as much right to sit in the 
public apartment of an inn as myself ? 

Stranger. — I am not certain of that. 
The people here are not in general very 
gratified at seeing me seated by their 
side. 

Myself. — Perhaps owing to your po- 
litical opinions, or to some crime which 
it may have been your misfortune to 
commit ? 

Stranger. — I have no political opi- 
nions, and I am not aware that I ever 
committed any particular crime. — I am 
hated for my country and my religion. 

Myself. — Perhaps I am speaking to 
a Protestant, like myself? 

Stranger. — I am no Protestant. If I 
were, they would be cautious here of 
showing their dislike, for I should then 
have a government and a consul to pro- 
tect me. I am a Jew — a Barbary Jew, 
a subject of Abderrahman. 

Myself — If that be the case, you can 
scarcely complain of being looked upon 
with dislike in this country, since in 
Barbary the Jews are slaves. 

Stranger. — In most parts, I grant you, 
but not where I was born, which was 
far up the country, near the deserts. 
There the Jews are free, and are feared, 
and are as valiant men as the Moslems 
themselves ; as able to tame the steed, 
or to fire the gun. The Jews of our 
tribe are not slaves, and I like not to be 
treated as a slave either by Christian 
or Moor. 

Myself — Your history must be a cu- 
rious one ; I would fain hear it. 

Stranger. — My history I shall tell to 
no one. I have travelled much, I have 
been in commerce, and have thriven. I 
am at present established in Portugal, 



but I love not the people of Catholic 
countries, and least of ali these of Spam. 
I have lately experienced the most 
shameful injustice in the Aduana of this 
town, and when I complained, they 
laughed at me, and called me Jew. 
Wherever he turns, the Jew is reviled, 
save in your country, and on that ac- 
count my blood always warms when I 
see an Englishman. You are a stranger 
here. Can I do aught for you ? You 
may command me. 

Myself — I thank you heartily, but I 
am in need of no assistance. 

Stranger. — Have you any bills, I will 
accept them if you have ? 

Myself. — I have no need of assist- 
ance ; but you may do me a favour by 
accepting of a book. 

Stranger. — I will receive it with 
thanks. I know what it is. What a 
singular people ! The same dress, the 
same look, the same book. Pelham 
gave me one in Egypt. Farewell ! 
Your Jesus was a good man, perhaps a 
prophet ; but . . . farewell ! 

Well may the people of Pontevedra 
envy the natives of Vigo their bay,with 
which, in many respects, none other in 
the world can compare. On every side 
it is defended by steep and sublime hills, 
save on the part of the west, where is 
the outlet to the Atlantic ; but in the 
midst of this outlet, up to wers a huge 
rocky wall, or island, which breaks the 
swell, and prevents the billows of the 
western sea from pouring through in 
full violence. On either side of this 
island is a passage, so broad that navies 
might pass through at all times in 
safety. The bay itself is oblong, run- 
ning far into the land, and so capacious 
that a thousand sail of the line might 
ride in it uncrowded. The waters are 
dark, still, and deep, without quick- 
sands or shallows, so that the proudest 
man-of-war might lie within a stone's 
throw of the town ramparts without 
any fear of injuring her keel. 

Of many a strange event, and of many 
a mighty preparation, has this bay been 
the scene. It was here that the bulky 
dragons of the grand armada were mus- 
tered; and it was from hence that, 
fraught with the pomp, power, and ter- 
ror of Old Spain, the monster fieet^ 



1G8 



THE BIBLE 



IN SPAIN. 



[chap. XXVIII. 



spreading its enormous sails to the 
wind, and bent on the ruin of the Lu- 
theran isle, proudly steered ; — that 
fleet, to build and man which half the 
forests of Galicia had been felled, and 
all the mariners impressed from the 
thousand bays and creeks of the stern 
Cantabrian shore. It was here that the 
united flags of Holland and England 
triumphed over the pride of Spain and 
France ; when the burning timbers of 
exploded war-ships soared above the 
tops of the Gallegan hills, and blazing 
galleons sank with their treasure-chests 
whilst drifting in the direction of Sam- 
payo. It was on the shores of this bay 
that the English guards first emptied 
Spanish bodegas, whilst the bombs of 
Cobham were crushing the roofs of the 
castle of Castro, and the vecinos of 
Pontevedra buried their doubloons in 
cellars, and flying posts were convey- 
ing to Lugo and Orensee the news of 
the heretic invasion and the disaster of 
Vigo. All these events occurred .o my 
mind as I stood far up the hill, at a short 
distance from the fort, surveyingthe bay. 

" What are you doing there, Cava- 
lier ?*' roared several voices. " Stay, 
Carracho ! if you attempt to run we 
will shoot you ! " I looked round and 
saw three or four fellows in dirty uni- 
forms, to all appearance soldiers, just 
above me, on a winding path, which led 
up the hill. Their muskets were pointed 
at me. " What am I doing ? Nothing, 
as you see," said I, " save looking at the 
bay ; and as for running, this is by no 
means ground for a course." " You 
are our prisoner," said they, " and you 
must come with us to the fort." " I 
was just thinking of going there," I re- 
plied, " before you thus kindly invited 
me. The fort is the very spot I was 
desirous of seeing." I thereupon climbed 
up to the place where they stood, when 
they instantly surrounded me, and with 



this escort I was marched into the fort, 
which might have been a strong place 
in its time, but was now rather ruinous. 
" You are suspected of being a spy," 
said the corporal, who walked in front. 
" Indeed?" said I. "Yes," replied the 
corporal, " and several spies have lately 
been taken and shot." 

Upon one of the parapets of the fort 
stood a young man, dressed as a subal- 
tern officer, and to this personage I was 
introduced. " We have been watching 
you this half hour," said he, " as you 
were taking observations." " Then 
you gave yourselves much useless 
trouble," said I. " I am an English- 
man, and was merely looking at the 
bay. Have the kindness now to show 
me the fort." 

After some conversation, he said, " I 
wish to be civil to people of your na- 
tion ; you may therefore consider your- 
self at liberty." I bowed, made my 
exit, and proceeded down the hill. Just 
before J entered the town, however, the 
corporal, who had followed me unper- 
ceived, tapped me on the shoulder. 
" You must go with me to the gover- 
nor," said he. " With all my heart," I 
replied. The governor was shaving 
when we were shown up to him. He 
was in his shirt sleeves, and held a 
razor in his hand. He looked very ill- 
natured, which was perhaps owing to 
his being thus interrupted in his toilet. 
He asked me two or three questions, 
and on learning that I had a passport, 
and was the bearer of a letter to the 
English consul, he told me that I was 
at liberty to depart. So I bowed to the 
governor of the town, as I had done to 
the governor of the fort, and making 
my exit, proceeded to my inn. 

At Vigo I accomplished but little in 
the way of distribution, and, after a so- 
journ of a few days, I returned in the 
direction of Saint James. 



f 169 ] 



CHAPTER XXIX. 

Arrival at Padron — Projected Enterprise — The Alquilador — Breach of Promise — An Odd 
Companion — A Plain Story— Rugged Paths — The Desertion — The Pony — A Dialogue — 
Unpleasant Situation — The Estadea — Benighted— The Hut — The Traveler's Pillow. 



I arrived at Padron late in the even- 
ing, on my return from Pontevedra and 
Vigo. It was my intention at this 
place to send my servant and horses 
forward to Santiago, and to hire a guide 
to Cape Finisterra. It would be diffi- 
cult to assign any plausible reason for 
the ardent desire which I entertained to 
visit this place ; but I remembered that 
last year I had escaped almost by a 
miracle from shipwreck and death on 
the rocky sides of this extreme point of 
the Old World, and I thought that to 
convey the Gospel to a place so wild 
and remote might perhaps be consi- 
dered an acceptable pilgrimage in the 
eyes of my Maker. True it is that but 
one copy rem ained of those which. I had 
brought with me on this last journey ; 
but this reflection, far from discourag- 
ing me in my projected enterprise, pro- 
duced the contrary effect, as I called to 
mind that, ever since the Lord revealed 
himself to man, it has seemed good to 
him to accomplish the greatest ends by 
apparently the most insufficient means ; 
and I reflected that this one copy might 
serve as an instrument for more good 
than the four thousand nine hundred 
and ninety-nine copies of the edition of 
Madrid. 

I was aware that my own horses were 
quite incompetent to reach Finisterra, 
as the roads or paths lie through stony 
ravines, and over rough and shaggy 
hills, and therefore determineu to leave 
them behind with Antonio, whom I 
was unwilling to expose to the fatigues 
of such a journey. I lost no time in 
sending for an alquilador, or person 
who lets out horses, and informing him 
of my intention. He said he had an 
excellent mountain pony at my disposal, 
and that he himself would accompany 



me ; but at the same time observed, that 
it was a terrible journey for man and 
horse, and that he expected to be paid 
accordingly. I consented to give him 
what he demanded, but on the express 
condition that he would perform his 
promise of attending me himself, as 1 
was unwilling to trust myself four or 
five days amongst the hills with any 
low fellow of the town whom he might 
select, and who it was very possible 
might play me some evil turn. He re- 
plied by the term invariably used by 
the Spaniards when they see doubt or 
distrust exhibited : " No tenga listed 
cuidao" I will go myself. Having thus 
arranged the matter perfectly satisfac- 
tory, as I thought, I partook of a slight 
supper, and shortly afterwards retired 
to repose. 

I had requested the alquilador to call 
me the next morning at three o'clock ; 
he however did not make his appear- 
ance till five, having, I suppose, over- 
slept himself, which was indeed my 
own case. I arose in a hurry, dressed, 
put a few things in a bag, not forgetting 
the Testament which I had resolved to 
present to the inhabitants of Finisterra. 
I then sallied forth and saw my friend 
the alquilador, who was holding by the 
bridle the pony or jaca which was des- 
tined to carry me in my expedition, it 
was a beautiful little animal, apparently 
strong and full of life, without one single 
white hair in its whole body, which 
was black as the plumage of the crow. 

Behind it stood a strange looking 
figure of the biped species, to whom, 
however, at the moment, I paid little 
attention, but of whom I shall have 
plenty to say in the sequel. 

Having asked the horse -lender whe- 
ther he was ready to proceed; and being 



170 



THE BIBLE IN SPA1X. 



[CHAP. XXIX. 



answered in the affirmative, I bade 
adieu to Antonio, and putting the pony 
in motion, we hastened out of the town, 
taking at first the road which leads to- 
wards Santiago. Observing that the 
figure which I have previously alluded 
to was following close at our heels, I 
asked the alquilador who it was, and 
the reason of its following us ; to which 
he replied that it was a servant of his, 
who would proceed a little way with us 
and then return. So on we went at a 
rapid rate, till we were within a quarter 
of a mile of the Convent of the Escla- 
vitud, a little beyond which he had in- 
formed me that we should have to turn 
off from the high road; but here he 
suddenly stopped short, and in a mo- 
ment we were all at a stand-still. I 
questioned the guide as to the reason of 
this, but received no answer. The fel- 
low's eyes were directed to the ground, 
and he seemed to be counting with the 
most intense solicitude the prints of the 
hoofs of the oxen, mules, and horses 
in the dust of the road. I repeated my 
demand in a louder voice ; when, after 
a considerable pause, he somewhat ele- 
vated his eyes, without however looking 
me in the face, and said that he believed 
that I entertained the idea that he 
himself was to guide me to Finisterra, 
which if I did, he was very sorry for, 
the thing being quite impossible, as he 
was perfectly ignorant of the way, and, 
moreover, incapable of performing such 
a journey over rough and difficult 
ground, as he was no longer the man 
he had been; and, over and above all 
that, he was engaged that day to accom- 
pany a gentleman to Pontevedra, who 
was at that moment expecting him. 
" But," continued he, " as I am always 
desirous of behaving like a caballero to 
everybody, I have taken measures to 
prevent your being disappointed. This 
person," pointing to the figure, (i I have 
engaged to accompany you. He is a 
most trustworthy person, and is well 
acquainted with the route to Finisterra, 
having been thither several times with 
this very jaca on which you are 
mounted. He will, besides, be an 
agreeable companion to you on the way, 
as he speaks French and English very 
well, and has been all over the world?' 



The fellow ceased speaking at last ; and 
I was so struck with his craft, impu- 
dence, and villany, that some time 
elapsed before I could find an answer. 
I then reproached him in the bitterest 
terms for his breach of promise, and 
said that I was much tempted to return 
to the town instantly, complain of him 
to the alcalde, and have him punished 
at any expense. To which he replied, 
" Sir Cavalier, by so doing you will be 
nothing nearer Finisterra, to which you 
seem so eager to get. Take my advice, 
spur on the jaca, for you see it is getting 
late, and it is twelve long leagues from 
hence to Corcuvion, where you must 
pass the night ; and from thence to 
Finisterra is no trifle. As for the man, 
no tenga listed cuidao, he is the best 
guide in Galicia, speaks English and 
French, and will bear you pleasant 
company." 

By this time I had reflected that by 
returning to Padron I should indeed be 
only wasting time, and that by endea- 
vouring to have the fellow punished no 
benefit would accrue to me ; moreover, 
as he seemed to be a scoundrel in every 
sense of the word, I might as well pro- 
ceed in the company of any person as 
in his. I therefore signified my inten- 
tion of proceeding, and told him to go 
back, in the Lord's name, and repent of 
his sins. But having gained one point, 
he thought he had best attempt another ; 
so placing himself about a yard before 
the jaca, he said that the price which I 
had agree >d to pay him for the loan of 
his horse (which by the by was the full 
sum he had demanded) was by no 
means sufficient, and that before I pro 
ceeded I must promise him two dollars 
more, adding that he was either drunk 
or mad when he had made such a bar- 
gain. I was now thoroughly incensed, 
and without a moment's reflection, spur 
red the jaca, which flung him down in 
the dust, ana passed over him. Look- 
ing back at the distance of a hundred 
yards, I saw him standing in the same 
place, his hat on the ground, gazing 
after us, and crossing himself most de 
voutly. His servant, or whatever he 
was, far from offering any assistance 
to his principal, no sooner saw the jaca 
in motion than he ran on by its side, 



CHAP. XXIX.] 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



171 



without word or comment, further than 
striking himself lustily on the thigh 
with his right palm. We soon passed 
the Esclavitud, and presently afterwards 
turned to the left into a stony broken 
path leading to fields of maize. We 
passed by several farm-houses, and at 
last arrived at a dingle, the sides of 
which were plentifully overgrown with 
dwarf oaks, and which slanted down 
to a small dark river shaded with trees, 
which we crossed by a rude bridge. 
By this time I had had sufficient time 
to scan my odd companion from head 
to foot. His utmost height, had he 
made the most of himself, might per- 
haps have amounted to five feet one 
inch ; but he seemed somewhat inclined 
to stoop. Nature had gifted him with 
an immense head, and placed it clean 
upon his shoulders, for amongst the 
items of his composition it did not ap- 
pear that a neck had been included. 
Arms long and brawny swung at his 
sides, and the whole of his frame was 
as strong built and powerful as a wrest- 
ler's ; his body was supported by a pair 
of short but very nimble legs. Kis face 
was very long, and would have borne 
some slight resemblance to a human 
countenance had the nose been more 
visible, for its place seemed to have 
been entirely occupied by a wry mouth 
and large staring eyes. His dress con- 
sisted of three articles: an old and 
tattered hat of the Portuguese kind, 
broad at the crown and narrow at the 
eaves, something which appeared to be 
a shirt, and dirty canvass trousers. 
Willing to enter into conversation with 
him, and remembering that the alqui- 
lador had informed me that he spoke 
languages, I asked him, in English, if 
he had always acted in the capacity 
of guide? Whereupon he turned his 
eyes with a singular expression upon 
my face, gave a loud laugh, a long leap, 
and clapped his hands thrice above his 
head. Perceiving that he did not un- 
derstand me, I repeated my demand in 
French, and was again answered by 
the laugh, leap, and clapping. At last 
he said, in broken Spanish, " Master 
mine, speak Spanish in God's name, 
and I can understand you, and still 
better if you speak Gallegam but I can 



promise no more. I heard what the 
alquiiador told you, but he is the greatest 
embustero in the whole land, and de- 
ceived you then as he did when he pro- 
mised to accompany you. I serve him 
for my sins ; but it was an evil hour 
when I left the deep sea and turned 
guide." He then informed me that he 
was a native of Padron, and a mariner 
by profession, having spent the greater 
part of his life in the Spanish navy, in 
which service he had visited Cuba and 
many parte of the Spanish Americas, 
adding, " when my master told you that 
I should bear you pleasant company by 
the way, it was the only word of truth 
that has come from his mouth for 
a month; and long before you reach 
Finisterra you will have rejoiced that 
the servant, and not the master, went 
with you : he is dull and heavy, but I 
am what you see." He then gave two 
or three first-rate summersets, again 
laughed loudly, and clapped his hands. 
" You would scarcely think/' he con- 
tinued, " that I drove that little pony 
yesterday, heavily laden, all the way 
from Corufia. We arrived at Padron 
at two o'clock this morning; but we 
are nevertheless both willing and able 
to undertake a fresh journey. No tenga 
usted cuidao, as my master said, no one 
ever complains of that pony or of me." 
In this kind of discourse we proceeded 
a considerable way through a very pic- 
turesque country, until we reached a 
beautiful village at the skirt of a moun- 
tain. " This village," said my guide, 
" is called Los Angeles, because its 
church was built long since by the 
angels ; they placed a beam of gold 
beneath it, which they brought down 
from heaven, and which was once a 
rafter of God's own house. It runs all 
the way under the ground from hence 
to the cathedral of Compostella." 

Passing through the village, which he 
likewise informed me possessed baths, 
and was much visited by the people of 
Santiago, we shaped our course to the 
north-west, and by so doing doubled a 
mountain which rose majestically over 
our heads, its top crowned with bare 
and broken rocks, whilst on our right, 
on the other side of a spacious Valley, 
was a high range connected with the 



172 



THE BIBLE 



IN SPAIN. 



f CHAP. XXIX. 



mountains to the northward of Saint 
James. On the summit of this range 
rose high embattled towers, which my 
guide informed me were those of Alta- 
mira, an ancient and ruined castle, for- 
merly the principal residence in this 
province of the counts of that name. 
Turning now due west, we were soon 
at the bottom of a steep and rugged 
pass, which led to more elevated re- 
gions. The ascent cost us nearly half 
an hour, and the difficulties of the 
ground were such that I more than 
once congratulated myself on having 
left my own horses behind, and being 
mounted on the gallant little pony which, 
accustomed to such paths, scrambled 
bravely forward, and eventually brought 
us in safety to the top of the ascent. 

Here we entered a Gallegan cabin, or 
ohoza, for the purpose of refreshing the 
animal and ourselves. The quadruped 
ate some maize, whilst we two bipeds 
regaled ourselves on some broa and 
aguardiente, which a woman whom we 
found in the hut placed before us. I 
walked out for a few minutes to observe 
the aspect of the country, and on my 
return found my guide fast asleep on 
the bench where I had left him. He 
sat bolt upright, his back supported 
against the wall, and his legs pendulous, 
within three inches of the ground, being 
too short to reach it. I remained gazing 
upon him for at least five minutes, 
whilst he enjoyed slumbers seemingly 
as quiet and profound as those of death 
itself. His face brought powerfully to 
my mind some of those uncouth visages 
of saints and abbots which are occa- 
sionally seen in the niches of the walls 
of ruined convents. There was not the 
slightest gleam of vitality in his coun- 
tenance, which for colour and rigidity 
might have been of stone, and which 
was as rude and battered as one of the 
stone heads at Icolmkill, which have 
braved the winds of twelve hundred 
years. I continued gazing on his face 
till I became almost alarmed, conclud- 
ing that life might have departed from 
its harassed and fatigued tenement. On 
my shaking him rather roughly by the 
shoulder he slowly awoke, opening his 
with a stare, and then closing them 
again. For a few moments he was | 



evidently unconscious of where he was. 
On my shouting to him, however, and 
inquiring whether he intended to sleep 
all day, instead of conducting me to 
Finisterra, he dropped upon his legs, 
snatched up his hat, which lay on the 
table, and instantly ran out of the door, 
exclaiming, <k Yes, yes, I remember — 
follow me, captain, and I will lead you 
to Finisterra in no time." I looked 
after him, and perceived that he was 
hurrying at a considerable pace in the 
direction in which we had hitherto been 
proceeding. " Stop," said I, " stop ! 
will you leave me here with the pony ? 
Stop ; we have not paid the reckoning. 
Stop I" He, however, never turned his 
head for a moment, and in less than a 
minute was out of sight. The pony, 
which was tied to a crib at one end of 
the cabin, began now to neigh terrific- 
ally, to plunge, and to erect its tail and 
mane in a most singular manner. It 
tore and strained at the halter till I was 
apprehensive that strangulation would 
ensue. " Woman," I exclaimed, "-where 
are you, and what is the meaning of all 
this ?" But the hostess had likewise 
disappeared, and though I ran about 
the choza, shouting myself hoarse, no 
answer was returned. The pony still 
continued to scream and to strain at the 
halter more violently than ever. 6< Am 
I beset with lunatics ?" I cried, and 
flinging down a peseta on the table, 
unloosed the halter, and attempted to 
introduce the bit into the mouth of the 
animal. This, however, I found im- 
possible to effect. Released from the 
halter, the pony made at once for the 
door, in spite of all the efforts which 
I could make to detain it. " If you 
abandon me," said I, " I am in a pretty 
situation ; but there is a remedy for 
everything !" with which words I 
sprang into the saddle, and in a mo- 
ment more the creature was bearing 
me at a rapid gallop in the direction, 
as I supposed, of Finisterra. My posi- 
tion, however diverting to the reader, 
was rather critical to myself. I was 
on the back of a spirited animal, over 
which I had no control, dashing along 
a dangerous and unknown path. I 
could not discover the slightest vestige 
I of my guide, nor did I pass any one 



CHAP. XXIX.] 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



1/3 



from whom I could derive any infor- 
mation. Indeed the speed of the animal 
was so great, that even in the event of 
my meeting or overtaking a passenger, 
I could scarcely have hoped to exchange 
a word with him. " Is the pony trained 
to this work ?" said I, mentally. " Is 
he carrying me to some den of banditti, 
where my throat will be cut, or does 
he follow his master by instinct ?" 
Both of these suspicions I however soon 
abandoned; the pony's speed relaxed, 
he appeared to have lost the road. He 
looked about uneasily : at last, coming 
to a sandy spot, he put his nostrils to 
the ground, and then suddenly fiung 
himself down, and wallowed in true pony 
fashion. I was not hurt, and instantly 
made use of this opportunity to slip the 
bit into his mouth, which previously 
had been dangling beneath his neck; 
I then remounted in quest of the road. 

This I soon found, and continued my 
way for a considerable time. The path 
lay over a moor, patched with heath 
and furze, and here and there strewn 
with large stones, or rather rocks. The 
sun had risen high in the firmament, 
and burned fiercely. I passed several 
people, men and women, who gazed at 
me with surprise, wondering, probably, 
what a person of my appearance could 
be about, without a guide, in so strange 
a place. I inquired of two females 
whom I met whether they had seen my 
guide ; but they either did not or would 
not understand me, and, exchanging a 
few words with each other in one of 
the hundred dialects of the Gallegan, 
passed on. Having crossed the moor, 
I came rather abruptly upon a convent, 
overhanging a deep ravine, at the bottom 
of which brawled a rapid stream. 

It was a beautiful and picturesque 
spot : the sides of the ravine were thickly 
clothed with wood, and on the other 
side a tall, black hill uplifted itself. 
The edifice was large, and apparently 
deserted. Passing by it, I presently 
reached a small village, as deserted, to 
all appearance, as the convent, for I 
saw not a single individual, nor so much 
as a dog to welcome me with his bark. 
I proceeded, however, until I reached 
a fountain, the waters of which gushed 
from a stone pillar into a trough. Seated 



upon this last, his arms folded, and his 
eyes fixed upon the neighbouring moun- 
tain, I beheld a figure which still fre- 
quently recurs to my thoughts, especi- 
ally when asleep and oppressed by the 
nightmare. This figure was my run- 
away guide. 

Myself. — Good day to you, my gen- 
tleman. The weather is hot, and yonder 
water appears delicious. I am almost 
tempted to dismount and regale myself 
with a slight draught. 

Guide. — Your worship can do no 
better. The day is, as you say, hot; 
you can do no better than drink a little 
of this water. I have myself just drunk. 
I would not, however, advise you to 
give that pony any ; it appears heated 
and blown. 

Myself. — It may well be so. I have 
been galloping at least two leagues in 
pursuit of a fellow who engaged to 
guide me to Finisterra, but who de- 
serted me in a most singular manner ; 
so much so, that I almost believe him 
to be a thief, and no true man. You do 
not happen to have seen him ? 

Guide. — What kind of a man might 
he be ? 

Myself. — A short, thick fellow, very 
much like yourself, with a hump upon 
his back, and, excuse me, of a very ill- 
favoured countenance. 

Guide. — Ha, ha ! I know him. He 
ran with me to this fountain, where he 
has just left me. That man, Sir Cava- 
lier, is no thief. If he is anything at 
all, he is a Nuveiro — a fellow who rides 
upon the clouds, and is occasionally 
whisked away by a gust of wind. 
Should you ever travel with that man 
again, never allow him more than one 
glass of anise at a time, or he will in- 
fallibly mount into the clouds and leave 
you, and then he will ride and run till 
he comes to a water-brook, or knocks 
his head against a fountain — then one 
draught, and he is himself again. So 
you are going to Finisterra, Sir Cava- 
lier. Now it is singular enough, that 
a cavalier much of your appearance 
engaged me to conduct him there this 
morning ; I however lost him on the 
way ; so it appears to me our best plan 
to travel together until you find your 
own guide and I find my own master. 



174 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



[chap. XXIX, 



It might be about two o'clock in the 
afternoon that we reached a long and 
ruinous bridge, seemingly of great an- 
tiquity, and which, as I was informed 
by my guide, was called the bridge of 
Don Alonzo. It crossed a species of 
creek, or rather frith, for the sea was 
at no considerable distance, and the 
small town of Noyo lay at our right. 
"When we have crossed that bridge, 
captain," said my guide, " we shall be 
in an unknown country, for I have 
never been farther than Noyo, and as 
for Finisterra, so far from having been 
there, I never heard of such a place ; 
and though I have inquired of two or 
three people since we have been upon 
this expedition, they know as little 
about it as I do. Taking all things, 
however, into consideration, it appears 
to me that the best thing we can do is 
to push forward to Corcuvion, which 
is five mad leagues from hence, and 
which we may perhaps reach ere night- 
fall, if we can find the way or get any 
one to direct us; for, as I told you 
before, I know nothing about it." " To 
fine hands have I confided myself," 
said I : " however, we had best, as you 
say, push forward to Corcuvion, where, 
peradventure, we may hear something 
of Finisterra, and find a guide to con- 
duct us." Whereupon, with a hop, skip, 
and a jump, he again set forward at a 
rapid pace, stopping occasionally at a 
choza, for the purpose, I suppose, of 
making inquiries, though I understood 
scarcely anything of the jargon in 
which he addressed the people, and in 
which they answered him. 

We were soon in an extremely wild 
and hilly country, scrambling up and 
down ravines, wading brooks, and 
scratching our hands and faces with 
brambles, on which grew a plentiful 
crop of wild mulberries, to gather some 
of which we occasionally made a stop. 
Owing to the roughness of the way we 
made no great progress. The pony 
followed close at the back of the guide, 
so near, indeed, that its nose almost 
touched his shoulder. The country 
grew wilder and wilder, and, since we 
had passed a water-mill, we had lost all 
trace of human habitation. The mill 
stood at the bottom of a valley shaded 



by large trees, and its wheels were 
turning with a dismal and monotonous 
noise. " Do you think we shall reach 
Corcurvion to-night?" said I to the 
guide, as we emerged from this valley 
to a savage moor, which appeared of 
almost boundless extent. 

Guide. — I do not, I do not. We shall 
in no manner reach Corcuvion to-night, 
and I by no means like the appearance 
of this moor. The sun is rapidly sink- 
ing, and then, if there come on a haze, 
we shall meet the Estadea. 

Myself. — What do you mean by the 
Estadea ? 

Guide. — What do I mean by the E?- 
tade'a? My master asks me what I 
mean by the Estadinha.* I have met 
the Estadinha but once, and it was upon 
a moor something like this. I was in 
company with several women, and a 
thick haze came on, and suddenly a 
thousand lights shone above our heads 
in the haze, and there was a wild cry, 
and the women fell to the ground 
screaming Estadea ! Estadea ! and I 
myself fell to the ground crying out 
Estadinha ! The Estadea are the spi- 
rits of the dead which ride upon the 
haze, bearing candles in their hands. 
I tell you frankly, my master, that if 
we meet the assembly of the souls, I 
shall leave you at once, and then I shall 
run and run till I drown myself in the 
sea, somewhere about Muros. We shall 
not reach Corcuvion this night; my 
only hope is that we may find some 
choza upon these moors, where we may 
hide our heads from the Estadinha." 

The night overtook us ere we had 
traversed the moor; there was, how- 
ever, no haze, to the great joy of my 
guide, and a corner of the moon par- 
tially illumined our steps. Our situa- 
tion, however, was dreary enough : we 
were upon the wildest heath of the 
wildest province of Spain, ignorant of 
our way, and directing our course we 
scarcely knew whither, for my guide 
repeatedly declared to me that he did 
not believe that such a place as Finis- 
terra existed, or if it did exist, it was 
some bleak mountain pointed out in a 

* Inha, when affixed to words, serves as a 
diminutive. It is much in use amongst tht? 
Gailegans. 



chap. xxix. j THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 175 



map. When I reflected on the cha- 
racter of this guide, I derived but little 
comfort or encouragement : he was at 
best evidently half-witted, and was by 
his own confession occasionally seized 
with paroxysms which differed from 
madness in no essential respect; his 
wild escapade in the morning of nearly 
three leagues, without any apparent 
cause, and lastly his superstitious and 
frantic fears of meeting the souls of the 
dead upon this heath, in which event he 
intended, as he himself said, to desert 
me and make for the sea, operated ra- 
ther powerfully upon my nerves. I 
likewise considered that it was quite 
possible that we might be in the route 
neither of Finisterra nor Corcuvion, 
and I therefore determined to enter the 
first cabin at which we should arrive, 
in preference to running the risk of 
breaking our necks by tumbling down 
some pit or precipice. No cabin, how- 
ever, appeared in sight: the moor 
seemed interminable, and we wandered 
on until the moon disappeared, and we 
were left in almost total darkness. 

At length we arrived at the foot of a 
steep ascent, up which a rough and 
broken pathway appeared to lead. 
" Can this be our way ?" said I to the 
guide. 

" There appears to be no other for us, 
captain," replied the man ; " let us 
ascend it by all means, and when we 
are at the top, if the sea be m tne neign- 
bourhqod we shall see it." 

I then dismounted, for to ride up 
such a pass in such darkness would 
have been madness. We clambered 
up in a line, first the guide, next the 
pony, with his nose as usual on his 
master's shoulder, of whom he seemed 
passionately fond, and I bringing up 
the rear, with my left hand grasping 
the animal's tail. We had many a 
stumble, and more than one fall : once, 
indeed, we were all rolling down the 
side of the hill together. In about 
twenty minutes we reached the sum- 
mit, and looked around us, but no sea 
was visible : a black moor, indistinctly 
seen, seemed to spread on every side. 

" We shall have to take up our quar- 
ters here till morning," said I. 

Suddenly my guide seized me by the 



hand : " There is lume, Senhor," said 
he, " there is lume/' I looked in the 
direction in which he pointed, and, 
after straining my eyes for some time, 
imagined that I perceived, far below 
and at some distance, a faint glow. 
" That is lume," shouted the guide, 
" and it proceeds from the chimney of 
a choza." 

On descending the eminence, we 
roamed about for a considerable time, 
until we at last found ourselves in the 
midst of about six or eight black huts. 
" Knock at the door of one of these/' 
said I to the guide, " and inquire of the 
people whether they can shelter us for 
the night." He did so, and a man pre- 
sently made his appearance, bearing in 
his hand a lighted firebrand. 

" Can you shelter a Cavalheiro from 
the night and the Estadea?" said my 
guide. 

" From both, I thank God," said the 
man, who was an athletic figure, with- 
out shoes and stockings, and who, upon 
the whole, put me much in mind of a 
Munster peasant from the bogs. " Pray 
enter, gentlemen, we can accommodate 
you both and your cavalgadura be- 
sides." 

We entered the choza, which con- 
sisted of three compartments; in the 
first we found straw, in the second cattle 
and ponies, and in the third the family, 
consistins of the father and mother of 
tne man wno admitted us, and his wife 
and children. 

" You are a Catalan, sir Cavalier, 
and are going to your countrymen at 
Corcuvion," said the man in tolerable 
Spanish. " Ah, you are brave people, 
i you Catalans, and fine establishments 
j you have on the Gallegan shores ; pity 
that you take all the money out of the 
country." 

Now, under all circumstances, 1 had 
not the slightest objection to pass for a 
Catalan; and I rather rejoiced that 
these wild people should suppose that I 
had powerful friends and countrymen 
in the neighbourhood who were, per- 
haps, expecting me. I therefore fa- 
voured their mistake, and began with a 
harsh Catalan accent to talk of the fish 
of Galicia, and the high duties on salt. 
The eye cf my guide was upon me for 



176 THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



an instant, with a singular expression, 
half serious, half droll; he however, 
said nothing, but slapped his thigh as 
usual, and with a spring nearly touched 
the roof of the cabin with his grotesque 
head. Upon inquiry, I discovered that 
we were still two long leagues distant 
from Corcurvion, and that the road lay 
over moor and hill, and was hard to 
mid. Our host now demanded whether 
we were hungry, and, upon being an- 
swered in the affirmative, produced 
about a dozen eggs and some bacon. 
Whilst our supper was cooking, a long 
conversation ensued between my guide 
and the family, but as it was carried on 
in Gallegan, I tried in vain to under- 
stand it. I believe, however, that it 
principally related to witches and witch- 
craft, as the Estadea was frequently 
mentioned. After supper I demanded 
where I could rest : whereupon the host 
pointed to a trap-door in the roof, say- 
ing that above there was a loft where I 
cculd sleep by myself, and have clean 



[chap. XXIX. 

straw. For curiosity's sake, I asked 
whether there was such a thing as a 
bed in the cabin. 

" No," replied the man ; " nor nearer 
than Corcuvion. I never entered one 
in my life, nor any one of my family • 
we sleep around the hearth, or among 
the straw with the cattle." 

I was too old a traveller to complain, 
but forthwith ascended by a ladder into 
a species of loft, tolerably large and 
nearly empty, where I placed my cloak 
beneath my head, and lay down on the 
boards, which I preferred to the straw, 
for more reasons than one. I heard the 
people below talking in Gallegan for a 
considerable time, and could see the 
gleams of the fire through the inter- 
stices of the floor. The voices, how- 
ever, gradually died away, the fire sank 
low and could no longer be distin- 
guished. I dozed, started, dozed again, 
and dropped finally into a profound 
sleep, from which I was only roused by 
the crowing of the second cock. 



L i" ] 



CHAPTER XXX. 



Autumnal Morning — The World's End — Corcuvion — Duyo — The Cape — A Whale— The Outer 
Bay — The Arrest — The Fisher-Magistrate — Calros Rey — Hard of Belief— Where is your 
Passport ? — The Beach — A mighty Liberal — The Handmaid — The Grand Baintham — 
Eccentric Book — Hospitality. 



It was a beautiful autumnal morning 
when we left the choza and pursued 
our way to Corcuvion. I satisfied our 
host by presenting him with a couple 
of pesetas, and he requested as a favour, 
that if on our return we passed that 
way, and were overtaken by the night, 
we would again take up our abode be- 
neath his roof. This I promised, at the 
same time determining to do my best 
to guard against the contingency; as 
sleeping in the loft of a Gallegan hut, 
though preferable to passing the night 
on a moor or mountain, is any thing 
but desirable. 

So we again started at a rapid pace 
along rough bridle-ways and footpaths, 
amidst furze and brushwood. In about 
an hour we obtained a view of the sea, 
and, directed by a lad whom we found 
on the moor employed in tending a few 
miserable sheep, we bent our course to 
the north-west, and at length reached 
the brow of an eminence, where we 
stopped for some time to survey the 
prospect which opened before us. 

It was not without reason that the 
Latins gave the name of Finisterrse to 
this district. We had arrived exactly 
at such a place as in my boyhood I had 
pictured to myself as the termination of 
the world, beyond which there was a 
wild sea, or abyss, or chaos. I now 
saw far before me an immense ocean, 
and below me a long and irregular line 
of lofty and precipitous coast. Certainly 
in the whole world there is no bolder 
coast than the Gallegan shore, from the 
debouchement of the Minho to Cape 
Finisterra. It consists of a granite wall 
of savage mountains, for the most part 
serrated at the top, and occasionally 
broken, where bays and firths like those 



of Vigo and Pontevedra intervene, run- 
ning deep into the land. These bays 
and firths are invariably of an immense 
depth, and sufficiently capacious to 
shelter the navies of the proudest ma- 
ritime nations. 

There is an air of stem and savage 
grandeur in every thing around, which 
strongly captivates the imagination. 
This savage coast is the first glimpse of 
Spain which the voyager from the north 
catches, or he who has ploughed his way 
across the wide Atlantic : and well does 
it seem to realize all his visions of this 
strange land. "Yes," he exclaims, 
"this is indeed Spain — stern, flinty, 
Spain — land emblematic of those spirits 
to which she has given birth. From 
what land but that before me could 
have proceeded those portentous beings 
who astounded the Old World and filled 
the New with horror and blood : Alba 
and Philip, Cortez and Pizarro : stern 
colossal spectres looming through the 
gloom of bygone years, like yonder 
eranite mountains through the haze, 
upon the eye of the mariner. Yes. 
yonder is indeed Spain; flinty, indo- 
mitable Spain ; land emblematic of its 
sons V 

As for myself, when I viewed that 
wide ocean and its savage shore, I 
cried, " Such is the grave, and such are 
its terrific sides ; those moors and wilds, 
over which I have passed, are the rough 
and dreary journey of life. Cheered 
with hope, we struggle along through 
all the difficulties of moor, bog, and 
j mountain, to arrive at — what? The 
I grave and its dreary sides. Oh, may 
j hope not desert us in the last hour: 
j hope in the Redeemer and in God I" 
We descended from the eminence, 



17S 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



[chap. XXX 



and again lost sight of the sea amidst I 
ravines and dingles, amongst which 
patches of pine were occasionally seen. 
Continuing to descend, we at last came, 
not to the sea, but to the extremity of 
a long narrow firth, where stood a vil- 
lage or hamlet ; whilst at a small dis- 
tance, on the western side of the firth, 
appeared one considerably larger, which 
was indeed almost entitled to the ap- 
pellation of town. This last was Cor- 
ciwion ; the first, if I forget not, was 
called Eia de Silla. We hastened cn 
to Corcuyion, where I bade mv guide 
make inquiries respecting Fimsterra. 
He entered the door of a wine-house, 
from which proceeded much noise and 
vociferation, arid presently returned, 
informing me that the village of Finis- 
terra was distant about a league and a 
half. A man, evidently in a state of 
intoxication, followed him to the door : 
" Are you bound for Finisterra, Caval- 
heiros ? " he shouted. 

"Yes, my friend," I replied, "we ar^ 
going thither." 

" Then you are going amongst a 
flock of drunkards (fato de borrachos)" 
he answered. " Take care that they 
do not play you a trick." 

We passed on, and, striking across a 
sandy peninsula at the back of the 
town, soon reached the shore of an im- 
mense bay, the north-westernmost end 
of which was formed by the far-famed 
cape of Finisterra, which we now saw 
before us stretching far into the sea. 

Along a beach of dazzling white sand 
we advanced towards the cape, the 
bourne of our journey. The sun was 
shining brightly, and every object was 
illumined by his beams. The sea lay 
before us like a vast mirror, and the 
waves which broke upon the shore 
were so tiny as scarcely to produce a 
murmur. On we sped along the deep 
winding bay, overhung by gigantic 
hills and mountains. Strange recollec- 
tions began to throng upon my mind. 
I* was upon this beach that, according 
to the tradition of all ancient Christen- 
dom, Saint James, the patron saint of 
Spain, preached the Gospel to the hea- 
then Spaniards. Upon this beach had 
once stood an immense commercial 
city, the proudest in all Spain. This 



I now aesolate bay had once resounded 
with the voices of myriads, when the 
keels and commerce of all the then 
known world were wafted to Duyo. 

" What is the name of this village ?" 
said I to a woman, as we passed by five 
or six ruinous houses at the bend of the 
bay, ere we entered upon the peninsula 
of Finisterra. 

" This is no village," said the Gal- 
legan, " this is no village, Sir Cavalier ; 
this is a city, this is Duyo." 

So much for the glory of the world ! 
These huts were all that tlie roaring 
sea ana me tooth of time had left of 
Duyo, the great city ! Onward now to 
Finisterra. 

It was mid-day when we reached the 
village of Finisterra, consisting of about 
one hundred houses, and built on the 
southern side of the peninsula, just be- 
fore it rises into the huge bluff head 
which is called the Cape. We sought 
in vain for an inn or venta, where we 
might stable our beast ; at one moment 
we thought that we had found one, and 
had even tied the animal to the manger. 
Upon our going out, however, he was 
instantly untied, and driven forth into 
the street. The few people whom we 
saw appeared to gaze, upon us in i 
singular manner. We, however, took 
little notice of these circumstances, and 
proceeded along the straggling street 
until we found shelter in the house of 
a Castiiian shop-keeper, whom some 
chance had brought to this corner of 
Galicia, — this end of the world. Our 
first care was to feed the animal, who 
now began to exhibit considerable 
symptoms of fatigue. We then re- 
quested some refreshment for ourselves : 
and in about an hour, a tolerably sa- 
voury fish, weighing about three pounds, 
and fresh from the bay, was prepared 
for us by an old woman who appeared 
to officiate as house-keeper. Having 
finished our meal, I and my uncouth 
companion went forth, and prepared to 
ascend the mountain. 

We stopped to examine a small dis- 
mantled fort or battery facing the bay : 
and, whilst engaged in this examination, 
it more than once occurred to me that 
we were ourselves the objects of scru- 
tiny and investigation : indeed I caught 



CHAP. XXX.] 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



17y 



a glimpse of more than one countenance 
peering upon us through the holes and 
chasms of the walls. We now com- 
menced ascending Finisterra; and, 
making numerous and long detours, 
we wound our way up its flinty sides. 
The sun had reached the top of heaven, 
whence he showered upon us perpen- 
dicularly his brightest and fiercest rays. 
My boots were torn, my feet cut, and 
the perspiration streamed from my 
brow. To my guide, however, the 
ascent appeared to be neither toilsome 
nor difficult. The heat of the day for 
him had no terrors, no moisture was 
wrung from his tanned countenance ; 
he drew not one short breath; and 
hopped upon the stones and rocks with 
all the provoking agility of a mountain 
goat. Before we had accomplished 
one half of the ascent, I felt myself 
quite exhausted. I reeled and stag- 
gered. " Cheer up, master mine, be 
of good cheer, and have no care," said 
the guide. " Yonder I see a wall of 
stones ; lie down beneath it in the 
shade." He put his long and strong 
arm round my waist, and, though his 
stature compared with mine was that 
of a dwarf, he supported me as if I had 
been a child to a rude wall which 
seemed to traverse the greatest part of 
the hill, and served probably as a kind 
of boundary. It was difficult to find a 
shady spot: at last he perceived a 
small chasm, perhaps scooped by some 
shepherd as a couch in which to enjoy 
his siesta. In this he laid me gently 
down, and, taking off his enormous hat, 
commenced fanning me with great assi- 
duity. By degrees I revived, and. after 
having rested for a considerable time, 
I again attempted the ascent, which, 
with the assistance of my guide, I at 
length accomplished. 

We were now standing at a great 
altitude between two bays : the wilder- 
ness of waters before us. Of all the 
ten thousand barks which annually 
plough those seas in sight of that old 
cape, not one was to be descried. It 
was a blue shiny waste, broken by no 
object save the black head of a sperma- 
ceti whale, which would occasionally 
show itself at the top, casting up thin 
jets of brine. The principal bay, that 



of Finisterra, a^ far as the entrance, 
was beautifully variegated by an im- 
mense shoal of sardinhas, on whose 
extreme skirts the monster was pro- 
bably feasting. From the northern 
side of the cape we looked down upon 
a smaller bay, the shore of which was 
overhung by rocks of various and gro- 
tesque shapes ; this is called the outer 
bay, or, in the language of the country, 
Praia do mar de fora : a fearful place 
in seasons of wind and tempest, when 
the long swell of the Atlantic pouring 
in is broken into surf and foam by the 
sunken rocks with which it abounds. 
Even in the calmest day there is a 
rumbling and a hollow roar in that 
bay which fill the heart with, uneasy 
sensations. 

On all sides there was grandeur and 
sublimity. After gazing from the 
summit of the cape for nearly an hour, 
we descended. 

On reaching the house where we 
had taken up our temporary habitation, 
we perceived that the portal was occu- 
pied by several men, some of whom 
were reclining on the floor drinking 
wine out of small earthen pans, which 
are much used in this part of Galicia. 
With a civil salutation I passed on, 
and ascended the staircase to the room 
in which we had taken our repast. 
Here there was a rude and dirty bed, 
on which I- Hung myself, exhausted 
with fatigue. I determined to take a 
little repose, and in the evening to call 
the people of the place together, to read 
a few chapters of the Scripture, and 
then to address them with a little 
Christian exhortation. I was soon 
asleep, but my slumbers were by no 
means tranquil. I thought I was sur- 
rounded with difficulties of various 
kinds, amongst rocks and ravines, 
vainly endeavouring to extricate my- 
self; uncouth visages showed them- 
selves amidst the trees and in the hol- 
lows, thrusting out cloven tongues, and 
uttering angry cries. I looked around 
for my guide, but could not find him ; 
methought, however, that I heard his 
voice down a deep dingle. He ap- 
peared to be talking of me. How long 
I might have continued in these wild 
dreams I know not. I was suddenly 



ISO 



however, seized roughly by the shoul- 
der, and nearly dragged from the bed. 
I looked up in amazement, and by the 
light of the descending sun I beheld 
hanging over me a wild and uncouth 
figure ; it was that of an elderly man, 
built as strong as a giant, with much 
beard and whisker, and huge bushy 
eyebrows, dressed in the habiliments of 
a fisherman ; in his hand was a rusty 
musket. 

Myself. — Who are you, and what do 
you want ? 

Figure. — Who I am matters but 
little. Get up and follow me; it is 
you I want. 

Myself. — By what authority do you 
thus presume to interfere with me ? 

Figure. — By the authority of the 
justicia of Finisterra. Follow me 
peaceably, Calros, or it will be the 
worse for you. 

" Calros," said I, " what does the 
person mean ? " I thought it, however, 
most prudent to obey his command, 
and followed him down the staircase. 
The shop and the portal were now 
thronged with the inhabitants of Finis- 
terra, men, women, and children ; the 
latter for the most part in a state of 
nudity, and with bodies wet and drip- 
ping, having been probably summoned 
in haste from their gambols in the 
brine. Through this crowd the figure 
whom I have attempted - to describe 
pushed his way with an air ol autho- 
rity. 

On arriving in the street, he laid his 
heavy hand upon my arm, not roughly 
however. 6i It is Calros ! it is Calros \" 
said a hundred voices ; " he has come 
to Finisterra at last, and the justicia 
have now got hold of him." Wonder- 
ing what all this could mean, I at- 
tended my strange conductor down the 
street. As we proceeded, the crowd 
increased every moment, following and 
vociferating. Even the sick were 
brought to the doors to obtain a view 
of what was gomg forward, and a 
glance at the redoubtable Calros. I 
\ras particularly struck by the eager- 
ness displayed by one man, a cripple, 
who, in spite of the entreaties of his 
wife, mixed with the crowd, and having" 
lost, his crutch, hopped forward on one 



[chap. XXX, 

leg, exclaiming, — " Carracho ! tambien 
voyyo!" 

We at last reached a house of rather 
larger size than the rest; my guide 
having led me into a long low room, 
placed me in the middle of the floor, 
and then hurrying to the door, he en- 
deavoured to repulse the crowd who 
strove to enter with us. This he ef- 
fected, though not without considerable 
difficulty, being once or twice com- 
pelled to have recourse to the butt of 
his musket to drive back unauthorized 
intruders. I now looked round the 
room. It was rather scantily furnished : 
I could see nothing but some tubs and 
barrels, the mast of a boat, and a sail 
or two. Seated upon the tubs were 
three or four men coarsely dressed, 
like fishermen or shipwrights. The 
principal personage was a surly ill- 
tempered looking fellow of about thirty- 
five, whom eventually I discovered to 
be the alcalde of Finisterra, and lord 
of the house in which we now were. 
In a corner I caught a glimpse of my 
guide, who was evidently in durance, 
two stout fishermen standing before 
him, one with a musket and the other 
with a boat-hook. After I had looked 
about me for a minute, the alcalde, 
giving his whiskers a twist, thus ad- 
dressed me : — 

" Who are you, where is your pass- 
port, and what brings you to Finis- 
terra ? " 

Muself. — I am an Englishman. Here 
is my passport, and I came to see Fi- 
nisterra. 

This reply seemed to discomfit them 
for a moment. They looked at each 
otner, men at my passport. At length 
the alcalde, striking it with his finger, 
bellowed forth : 

" This is no Spanish passport ; it ap- 
pears to be written in French." 

Myself. — I have already told you 
that I am a foreigner. I of course 
carry a foreign passport. 

Alcalde. — Then you mean to assert 
that you are not Calros Rey. 

Myself. — I never heard before of 
such a king, nor indeed of such a 
name. 

Alcalde. — Hark to the fellow : he 
has the audacity to say that he has 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



CHAP. XXX.J 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



181 



never heard of Calros the pretender, 
who calls himself king. 

Myself. — If you mean by Calros, the 
pretender Don Carlos, all I can reply 
is, that you can scarcely be serious. 
You might as well assert that yonder 
poor fellow, my guide, whom I see yen 
have made prisoner, is his nephew, the 
infante Don Sebastian. 

Alcalde. — See, you have betrayed 
yourself; that is the very person we 
suppose him to be. 

Myself. — It is true that they are 
both hunchbacks. But how can I be 
like Don Carlos ? I have nothing the 
appearance of a Spaniard, and am nearly 
a foot taller than the pretender. 

Alcalde. — That makes no difference ; 
you of course carry many waistcoats 
about you, by means of which you dis- 
guise yourself, and appear tall or low 
according to your pleasure. 

This last was so conclusive an argu- 
ment that I had of course nothing to 
reply to it. The alcalde looked around 
him in triumph, as if he had made 
some notable discovery. " Yes, it is 
OJros ; it is Calros," said the crowd at 
the door. " It will be as well to have 
these men shot instantly/' continued the 
alcalde ; " if they are not the two pre- 
tenders, they are at any rate two of the 
factious." 

" I am by no means certain that they 
are either one or the other," said a graft 
voice. 

The justicia of Fmisterra turned 
their eyes in the direction from which 
these words proceeded, and so did I. 
Our glances rested upon the figure who 
held watch at the door. He had planted 
the barrel of his musket on the floor, 
and was now leaning his chin against 
the butt. 

" I am by no means certain that they 
are either one or the other," repeated 
he, advancing forward. " I have been 
examining this man," pointing to myself, 
" and listening whilst he spoke, and it 
appears to me that after all he may 
prove an Englishman ; he has their 
very look and voice. Who knows the 
English better than Antonio de la Trava, 
and who has a better right ? Has he 
not sailed in their ships ; has he not 
eaten their biscuit; and did he not 



stand by Nelson when he was shot 
dead ?" 

Here the alcalde became violently 
incensed. " He is no more an English- 
man than yourself," he exclaimed ; " if 
he were an Englishman would he have 
come in this manner, skulking across 
the land ? Not so, I trow. He would 
have come in a ship, re-commended 10 
some of us, or to the Catalans. He 
would have come to trade — to buy : but 
nobody knows him in Fmisterra, nor 
does he know anybody: and the first 
thing, moreover, that he does when he 
reaches this place is to inspect the fort, a 
and to ascend the mountain, where, uo 
doubt, he has been marking out a camp. 
What brings him to Finisterra if he is 
neither Calros nor a bribon of a fac- 
cioso ? " 

I felt that there was a good deal of 
justice in some of these remarks, and I 
was aware, for the first time, that I had 
indeed committed a great imprudence 
in coming to this wild place, and among 
these barbarous people, without being 
able to assign any motive which could 
appear at all valid in their eyes. I en- 
deavoured to convince the alcalde that I 
had come across the country for the 
purpose of making myself acquainted 
with the many remarkable objects which 
it contained, and of obtaining informa- 
tion respecting the character and con- 
dition of the inhabitants. He could 
understand no such motives. " What 
did you ascend the mountain for ? " 
" To see prospects." " Disparate ! I 
have lived at Finisterra forty years, and 
never ascended that mountain. I would 
not do it in a day like this for two 
ounces of gold. Yen went to take alti- 
tudes, and to mark out a camp." I had 
however, a staunch friend in old Anto- 
nio, who insisted, from his knowledge 
of the English, that all I had said might 
very possibly be true. " The English," 
said he, " have more money than they 
know what to do with, and on that 
account they wander all over the world, 
paying dearly for what no other people 
care a groat for." He then proceeded, 
notwithstanding the frowns of the al- 
calde, to examine me in the English 
language. His own entire knowledge 
of this tongue was confined to two 



182 THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



words — knife and fork, which words I 
rendered into Spanish by their equiva- 
lents, and was forthwith pronounced an 
Englishman by the old fellow, who, 
brandishing his musket, exclaimed : — 

" This man is not Calros ; he is what 
he declares himself to be, an English- 
man, and whosoever seeks to injure him 
shall have to do with Antonio de la 
Trava, el valiente de Finisterra." No 
person sought to impugn this verdict, 
and it was at length determined that I 
should be sent to Corcuvion, to be ex- 
amined by the alcalde mayor of the 
% district. " But," said the alcalde of 
Finisterra, " what is to be done with 
the other fellow ? He at least is no 
Englishman. Bring him forward, and 
let us hear what he has to say for him- 
self. Now, fellow, w T ho are you, and 
what is your master ? " 

Guide— I am Sebastianillo, a poor 
broken mariner of Padron, and my 
master for the present is the gentleman 
whom you see, the most valiant and 
wealthy of all the English. He has 
two ships at Vigo laden with riches. I 
told you so when you first seized me up 
there in our posada. 

Alcalde. — Where is your passport ? 

Guide. — I have no passport. Who 
would think of bringing a passport to 
such a place as this, where I don't sup- 
pose there are two individuals who can 
read? I have no passport; my mas- 
ter's passport of course includes me. 

Alcalde. — It does not. And since 
you have no passport, and have con- 
fessed that your name is Sebastian, you 
shall be shot. Antonio de la Trava, 
do you and the musketeers lead this 
Sebastianillo forth, and shoot him before 
the door. 

Antonio de la Trava. — With much 
pleasure, Senor Alcalde, since you order 
it. With respect to this fellow, I shall 
not trouble myself to interfere. He at 
least is no Englishman. He has more 
the look of a wizard or nuveiro ; one of 
those devils who raise storms and sink 
launches. Moreover, he says he is 
from Padron, and those of that place are 
all thieves and drunkards. They once 
played me a trick, and I would gladly 
be at the shooting of the whole pueblo. 

I now interfered, and said that if thev 



[chap. xxx. 

shot the guide they must shoot me too ; 
expatiating at the same time on the 
cruelty and barbarity of taking away 
the life of a poor unfortunate fellow 
who, as might be seen at the first 
glance, was only half-witted; adding, 
moreover, that if any person was guilty 
in this case it was myself, as the other 
could only be considered in the light of 
a servant acting under my orders. 

" The safest plan, after all," said the 
alcalde, " appears to be to send you 
both prisoners to Corcuvion, where the 
head alcalde can dispose of you as he 
thinks proper. You must, however, 
pay for your escort ; for it is not to be 
supposed that the housekeepers of Fi- 
nisterra have nothing else to do than to 
ramble about the country with every 
chance fellov/ who finds his way to this 
town. " "As for that matter," said 
Antonio, " I will take charge of them 
both. I am the valiente of Finisterra, 
and fear no two men living. Moreover, 
I am sure that the captain here will 
make it worth my while, else he is no 
Englishman. Therefore let us be quick, 
and set out for Corcuvion at once, as it 
is getting late. First of all, however, 
captain, I must search you and your 
baggage. You have no arms, of 
course? But it is best to make all 
sure." 

Long ere it was dark I found myself 
again on the pony, in company with my 
guide, wending our way along the 
beach in the direction of Corcuvion. 
Antonio de la Trava tramped heavily 
on before, his musket on his shoulder. 

Myself. — Are you not afraid, An- 
tonio, to be thus alone with two pri- 
soners, one of whom is on horseback ? 
If we were to try, I think we could 
overpower you, 

Antonio de la Trava. — I am the va- 
liente de Finisterra, and I fear no odds. 

Myself. — Why do you call yourself 
the valiente of Finisterra ? 

Antonio de la Trava. — The whole 
district call me so. When the French 
came to Finisterra and demolished the 
fort, three perished by my hand. I 
stood on the mountain, up where I saw 
you scrambling to-day. I continued 
firing at the enemy, until three detached 
themselves in pursuit of me. The fools ! 



CHAP. XXX. J 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



183 



two perished amongst the rocks by the 
fire of this musket, and as for the third, 
I beat his head to pieces with the stock. 
Tt is on that account that they call me 
the valiente of Finisterra. 

Myself. — How came you to serve 
with the English fleet ? I think I heard 
you say that you were present when 
Nelson fell. 

Antonio de la Trava. — I was captured 
oy your countrymen, captain ; and as I 
had been a sailor from my childhood, 
they were glad of my services. I was 
nine months with them, and assisted at 
Trafalgar. I saw the English admiral 
die. You have something of his face, 
and your voice, when you spoke, 
sounded in my ears like his own. I 
love the English, and on that account I 
saved you. Think not that I would 
toil along these sands with you if you 
were one of my own countrymen. Here 
we are at Duyo, captain. Shall we 
refresh ? 

We did re'fresh, or rather Antonio de 
la Trava refreshed, swallowing pan 
after pan of wine, with a thirst which 
seemed unquenchable. " That man was 
a greater wizard than myself," whis- 
pered Sebastian, my guide, " who told 
us that the drunkards of Finisterra 
would play us a trick." At length the 
old hero of the Cape slowly rose, say- 
ing, that we must hasten on to Corcu- 
vion, or the night would overtake us by 
the way. 

" What kind of person is the alcalde 
to whom you are conducting me ? " 
said I. 

" Oh, very different from him of 
Finisterra," replied Antonio. " This 
is a young Senorito, lately arrived from 
Madrid. He is not even a Gallegan. 
He is a mighty liberal, and it is owing 
chiefly to his orders that we have lately 
been so much on the alert. It is said 
that the Carlists are meditating a de- 
scent on these parts ot Galicia. Let 
them only come to Finisterra ; we are 
liberals there to a man, and the old 
valiente is ready to play the same part 
as in the time of the French. But, as 
I was telling you before, the alcalde to 
whom I am conducting you is a young 
man, and very learned, and, if he thinks 
proper, he can speak English to you, 



even better than myself, notwithstand- 
ing I was a friend of Nelson, and fought 
by his side at Trafalgar." 

It was dark night before we reached 
Corcuvion. Antonio again stopped to 
refresh at a wine-shop, after which he 
conducted us to the house of the alcalde. 
His steps were by this time not parti- 
cularly steady, and on arriving at the 
gate of the house, he stumbled over the 
threshold and fell. He got up with an 
oath, and instantly commenced thun- 
dering at the door with the stock of his 
musket. " Who is it ?" at length de- 
manded a soft female voice in Gallegan. 
" The valiente of Finisterra," replied 
Antonio ; whereupon the gate was un- 
locked, and we beheld before us a very 
pretty female with a candle in her hand. 
" What brings you here so late, Anto- 
nio ? " she inquired. " I bring two 
prisoners, mi pulida, replied Antonio. 
" Ave Maria ! " she exclaimed. " I 
hope they will do no harm." " I will 
answer for one," replied the old man ; 
" but as for the other, he is a nuveiro, 
and has sunk more ships than all his 
brethren in Galicia. But be not 
a* raid, my beauty," he continued, as the 
female made the sign of the cross: 
" first lock the gate, and then show me 
the way to the alcalde. I have much 
to tell him." The gate was locked, and 
bidding us stay below in the court-yard, 
Antonio followed the young woman up 
a stone stair, whilst we remained in 
darkness below. 

After the lapse of about a quarter of 
an hour we again saw the candle gleam 
upon the staircase, and the young fe- 
male appeared. Coming up to me, she 
advanced the candle to my features, on 
which she gazed very intently. After 
a long scrutiny she went to my guide, 
and having surveyed him still more 
fixedly, she turned to me, and said, in 
her best Spanish, " Serior Cavalier, I 
congratulate you on your servant. He 
is the best looking mozo in all Galicia, 
Vaya ! if he had but a coat to his back, 
and did not go barefoot, I would accept 
him at once as a novio ; but I have un- 
fortunately made a vow never to marry 
a poor man, but only one who has got a 
heavy purse and can buy me fine 
clothes. So you are a Carlist, I sup* 



184 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



[chap. xxx» 



pose? Vaya! I do not like you the 
worse for that. But, being so, how 
went you to Finisterra, where they are 
all Christinos and negros ? Why did 
you not go to my village ? None would 
have meddled with you there. Those 
of my village are of a different stamp to 
the drunkards of Finisterra. Those of 
my village never interfere with honest 
people. Vaya ! how i hate that drunk- 
ard of Finisterra who brought you ; he is 
so old and ugly ; were it not for the love 
which I bear to the Senor Alcalde, T 
would at once unlock the gate and bid 
you go forth, you and your servant, the 
buen mozo." 

Antonio now descended. " Follow 
me," said he ; " his worship the alcalde 
will be ready to receive you in a mo- 
ment." Sebastian and myself followed 
him upstairs to a room, where, seated 
behind a table, we beheld a young man 
of low stature, but handsome features, 
and very fashionably dressed. He ap- 
peared to be inditing a letter, which, 
when he had concluded, he delivered 
to a secretary to be transcribed. He 
then looked at me for a moment fixedly, 
and the following conversation ensued 
between us : — 

Alcalde. — I see that you are an En- 
glishman, and my friend Antonio here 
informs me that you have been arrested 
at Finisterra. 

Myself. — He tells you true ; and but 
for him I believe that I should have 
fallen by the hands of those savage fish- 
ermen. 

Alcalde. — The inhabitants of Finis- 
terra are' brave, and are all liberals. 
Allow me to look at your passport ? 
Yes, all in form. Truly it was very ri- 
diculous that they should have arrested 
you as a Carlist. 

Myself. — Not only as a Carlist, but 
as Don Carlos himself. 

Alcalde. — Oh ! most ridiculous ; mis- 
take a countryman of the grand Bain- 
tham for such a Goth ! 

Myself. — Excuse me, Sir, you speak 
of the grand somebody. 

Alcalde. — The grand Baintham. He 
who has invented laws for all the world. 
I hope shortly to see them adopted in 
this unhappy country of ours. 

Myself. - - Oh ! you mean Jeremy 



Bentham. Yes! a very remarkable 
man in his way. 

Alcalde. — In his way! in all ways. 
The most universal genius which the 
world ever produced : — a Solon, a Plato, 
and a Lope de Vega. 

Myself. — I have never read his writ- 
ings. I have no doubt that he was a 
Solon; and as you say, a Plato. I 
should scarcely have thought, however, 
that he could be ranked as a poet with 
Lope de Vega. 

Alcalde. — How surprising! I see, 
indeed, that you know nothing of his 
writings, though an Englishman. Now, 
here am I, a simple alcalde of Galicia, 
yet I possess all the writings of Bain- 
tham on that shelf, and I study them 
day and night. 

Myself. — You doubtless, Sir, possess 
the English language. 

Alcalde. — I do. I mean that part of 
it which is contained in the writings of 
Baintham. I am most truly glad to see 
a countryman of his in these Gothic 
wildernesses. I understand and appre- 
ciate your motives for visiting them: 
excuse the incivility and rudeness which 
you have experienced. But we will 
endeavour to make you reparation. 
You are this moment free: but it is 
late ; I must find you a lodging for the 
night. I know one close by which will 
just suit you. Let us repair thither 
this moment. Stay, I think I see a 
book in your hand. 

Myself— The New Testament. 

Alcalde. — What book is that ? 

Myself. — A portion of the sacred 
writings, the Bible. 

Alcalde. — Why do you carry such a 
book with you ? 

Myself. — One of my principal mo- 
tives in visiting Finisterra was to carry 
this book to that wild place. 

Alcalde. — Ha, ha ! how very sin- 
gular. Yes, I remember. I have heard 
that the English highly prize this eccen- 
tric book. How very singular that the 
countrymen of the grand Baintham 
should set any value upon that old 
monkish book ! 

It was now late at night, and my 
new friend attended me to the lodging 
which he had destined for me, and 
which was at the house of a respectable 



CHAP. XXX.] 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



183 



old female, where I found a clean and 
comfortable room. On the way I slipped 
a gratuity into the hand of Antonio, 
and on my arrival, formally, and in the 
presence of the alcalde, presented him 
with the Testament, which I requested 
he would carry back to Finisterra, and 
keep in remembrance of the English- 
man in whose behalf he had so effectu- 
ally interposed. 

Antonio. — I will do so, your worship, 
and when the winds blow fro*:i tiie \ 
north-west, preventing our launcnes 
from putting to sea, I will reaa your 
present. Farewell, my captain, and 
when you next come to Finisterra I 
hope it will be in a valiant English bark, 
with plenty of contrabando on board.. 



and not across the country ou a pony, 
in company with nuveiros and men of 
Padron. 

Presently arrived the handmaid of 
the alcalde with a basket, which she 
took into the kitchen, where she pre- 
pared an excellent supper for her mas- 
ter's friend. On its being served up the 
alcalde bade me farewell, having first 
demanded whether he could in any way 
forward my plans. 
; i return to Saint James to-morrow," 
I replied, " and I sincerely hope thai 
some occasion will occur which will 
enable me to acquaint the world with 
the hospitality which I have expe- 
rienced from so accomplished a schola? 
as the Alcalde of Corcuvion." 



[ 186 ] 



CHAPTER XXXI. 



Corona — Crossing the Bay — Ferrol — The Dock-yard — Where are we now ? — Greek Ambas. 
sador — Lantern-Light— The Ravine — Viveiro — Evening— Marsh and Quagmire — Fail 
Words and Fair Money — The Leathern Girth — Eyes of Lynx — The Knavish Guide. 



From Coreuvion I returned to Saint 
James and Coruna, and now began to 
make preparation for directing my 
course to the Asturias. In the first 
place I parted with my Andalusian 
horse, which I considered unfit for the 
long and mountainous journey I was 
about to undertake; his constitution 
having become much debilitated from 
his Gallegan travels. Owing to horses 
being exceedingly scarce at Coruna, I 
had no difficulty in disposing of him at 
a far higher price than he originally 
cost me. A young and wealthy mer- 
chant of Coruna, who was a national 
guardsman, became enamoured of his 
glossy skin and long mane and tail. 
For my own part, I was glad to part 
with him for more reasons than one ; 
he was both vicious and savage, and 
was continually getting me into scrapes 
in the stables of the posadas where we 
slept or baited. An old Castilian pea- 
sant, whose pony he had maltreated, 
once said to me, " Sir Cavalier, if you 
have any love or respect for yourself, 
get rid, I beseech you, of that beast, who 
is capable of proving the ruin of a king- 
dom." So I left him behind at Coruna, 
where I subsequently learned that he 
became giandered and died. Peace to 
his memory ! 

From Coruna I crossed the bay to 
Ferrol, whilst Antonio with our remain- 
ing horse followed by land, a rather 
toilsome and circuitous journey, al- 
though the distance by water is scarcely 
three leagues. I was very sea-sick 
during the passage, and lay almost 
senseless at the bottom of the small 
launch in which I had embarked, and 
which was crowded with people. The 
wind was adverse, and the water rough. 
We could make no sail, but were im- 



pelled along by the oars of five or six 
stout mariners, who sang all the while 
Gallegan ditties. Suddenly the sea 
I appeared to have become quite smooth, 
and my sickness at once deserted me. 
I rose upon my feet and looked around. 
We were in one of the strangest places 
imaginable. A long and narrow pas- 
sage overhung on either side by a stu- 
pendous barrier of black and threaten- 
ing rocks. The line of the coast was 
here divided by a natural cleft, yet so 
straight and regular that it seemed not 
the work of chance but design. The 
water was dark and sullen, and of im- 
mense depth. This passage, which is 
about a mile in length, is the entrance 
to a broad basin, at whose farther ex- 
tremity stands the town of Ferrol. 

Sadness came upon me as soon as I 
entered this place. Grass was growing 
in the streets, and misery and distress 
stared me in the face on every side. 
Ferrol is the grand naval arsenal of 
Spain, and has shared in the ruin of the 
once splendid Spanish navy : it is no 
longer thronged with those thousand 
shipwrights who prepared for sea the 
tremendous three-deckers and long 
frigates, the greater part of which were 
destroyed at Trafalgar. Only a few 
ill-paid and half starved workmen still 
linger about, scarcely sufficient to re- 
pair any guar da costa which may put 
in dismantled by the fire of some Eng- 
lish smuggling schooner from Gibral- 
tar. Half the inhabitants of Ferrol 
beg their bread ; and amongst these, as 
it is said, are not unfrequently found 
retired naval officers, many of them 
maimed or otherwise wounded, who 
are left to pine in indigence : their 
pensions or salaries having been allowed 
to run three or four years in arrear, 



chap, xxxi.] THE BIBLE 



owing to the exigencies of the times. 
A crowd of importunate beggars fol- 
lowed me to the posada, and even at- 
tempted to penetrate to the apartment 
to which I was conducted. " Who are 
you?" said I to a woman who flung 
herself at my feet, and who bore in her 
countenance evident marks of former 
gentility. " A widow, sir," she replied, 
in very good French ; "a widow of a 
brave officer, once admiral of this port." 
The misery and degradation of modern 
Spain are nowhere so strikingly mani- 
fested as at Ferrol. 

Yet even here there is still much to 
admire. Notwithstanding its present 
state of desolation, it contains some good 
streets, and abounds with handsome 
houses. The alameda is planted with 
nearly a thousand elms, of which almost 
all are magnificent trees, and the poor 
Ferrolese, with the genuine spirit of 
localism so prevalent in Spain, boast 
that their town contains a better public 
walk than Madrid, of whose prado, when 
they compare the two, they speak in 
terms of unmitigated contempt. At one 
end of this alameda stands the church, 
the only one in Ferrol. To this church 
I repaired the day after my arrival, 
which was Sunday. I found it quite 
insufficient to contain the number of 
worshippers who, chiefly from the 
country, not only crowded the interior, 
but, bare-headed, were upon their knees 
before the door to a considerable dis- 
tance down the walk. 

Parallel with the alameda extends 
the wall of the naval arsenal and dock. 
I spent several hours in walking about 
these places, to visit which it is neces- 
sary to procure a written permission 
from the captain-general of Ferrol. 
They filled me with astonishment. I 
have seen the royal dock-yards of Rus- 
sia and England, but, for grandeur of 
design and costliness of execution, they 
cannot for a moment compare with these 
wonderful monuments of the bygone 
naval pomp of Spain. I shall not at- 
tempt to describe them, but content 
myself with observing that the oblong 
basin, which is surrounded with a gra- 
nite mole, is capacious enough to per- 
mit a hundred first-rates to lie conve- 
niently in ordinary ; but instead of such 



IN SPAIN. IS7 



a force, I saw only a sixty-gun frigate 
and two brigs lying in this basin ; and 
to this inconsiderable number of vessels 
is the present war marine of Spain re- 
duced. 

I waited for the arrival of Antonio 
two or three days at Ferrol, and still 
he came not : late one evening, how- 
ever, as I was looking down the street, 
I perceived him advancing, leading 
our only horse by the bridle. He in- 
formed me that, at about three leagues 
from Coruna, the heat of the weather 
and the flies had so distressed the ani- 
mal that it had fallen down in a kind 
of fit, from which it had been only re- 
lieved by copious bleeding, on which 
account he had been compelled to halt 
for a day upon the road. The horse 
was evidently in a very feeble state ; 
and had a strange rattling in its throat, 
which alarmed me at first. I however 
administered some remedies, and in a 
few days deemed him. sufficiently reco- 
vered to proceed. 

We accordingly started from Ferrol, 
having first hired a pony for myself, 
and a guide who was to attend us as far 
as Eivadeo, twenty leagues from Fer- 
rol, and on the confines of the Asturias. 
The day at first was fine, but, ere we 
reached Novales, a distance of three 
leagues, the sky became overcast, and a 
mist descended, accompanied by a 
drizzling rain. The country through 
which w r e passed was very picturesque. 
At about two in the afternoon we could 
descry through the mist the small fish- 
ing-town of Santa Marta on our left, 
with its beautiful bay. Travelling 
along the summit of a line of hills, we 
presently entered a chestnut forest, 
which appeared to be without limit : 
the rain still descended, and kept up a 
ceaseless pattering among the broad 
green leaves. " This is the commence- 
ment of the autumnal rains," said the 
guide. " Many is the wetting that you 
will get, my masters, before you reach 
Oviedo." " Have you ever been as 
far as Oviedo ? " I demanded. " No," 
he replied, * and once only to Eivadeo, 
the place to which I am now conduct- 
ing you, and I tell you frankly that we 
shall soon be in wildernesses where the 
way is hard to find, especially at night, 



188 



THE BIBLE 



IN SPAIN. 



[chap. xxxt. 



and amidst rain and waters. I wish. I 
were fairly back to Ferrol, for I like 
not this route, which, is the worst in 
Galicia, in more respects than one ; but 
where my master's pony goes, there 
mast I go too ; such is the life of us 
guides." I shrugged my shoulders at 
this intelligence, which was by no 
means cheering, but made no answer. 
At length, about nightfall, we emerged 
from the forest, and presently descended 
into a deep valley at the foot of lofty 
hills. 

" Where are we now ?" I demanded 
of the guide, as we crossed a rude bridge 
at the bottom of the valley, down which 
a rivulet swollen by the rain foamed 
and roared. " In the valley of Coisa 
doiro," he replied ; " and it is my advice 
that we stay here for the night, and do 
not venture among those hills, through 
which lies the path to Viveiro ; for as 
soon as we get there, adios ! I shall be 
bewildered, which will prove the de- 
struction of us all." " Is there a village 
nigh ?" " Yes, ttfe village is right before 
us, and we shall be there in a moment." 
We soon reached the village, which 
stood amongst some tall trees at the 
entrance of a pass which led up amongst 
the hills. Antonio dismounted, and 
entered two or three of the cabins, but I 
presently came to me, saying, " We 
cannot stay here, mon maitre, without 
being devoured by vermin ; we had 
better be amongst the hills than in this 
place ; there is neither fire nor light in 
these cabins, and the rain is streaming 
through the roofs." The guide, how- 
ever refused to proceed. " I could 
scarcely find my way amongst those 
hills b> daylight," he cried, surlily, 
" much less at night, 'midst storm and 
bretima." We procured some wine and 
maize bread from one of the cottages. 
Whilst we were partaking of these, 
Antonio said, " Mon maitre, the best 
thing we can do in our present situation 
is to hire some fellow of this village to 
conduct us through the hills to Viveiro. 
There are no beds in this place, and if 
we lie down in the litter in our damp 
clothes we shall catch a tertian of Ga- 
licia. Our present guide is of no ser- 
vice ; we must therefore find another to 
do his duty " Without waiting for a 



reply, he flung down the crust of broa 
which he was munching and disap- 
peared. I subsequently learned that 
he went to the cottage of the alcalde, 
and demanded, in the Queen's name, a 
guide for the Greek ambassador, who 
was benighted on his way to the As- 
turias. In about ten minutes I again 
saw him, attended by the local func- 
tionary, who, to my surprise, made me 
a profound bow, and stood bare-headed 
in the rain. " His excellency," shouted 
Antonio, " is in need of a guide to Vi- 
veiro. People of our description are 
not compelled to pay for any service 
which they may require ; however, as 
his excellency has bowels of compas- 
sion, he is willing to give three pesetas 
to any competent person who will ac- 
company him to Viveiro, and as much 
bread and wine as he can eat and drink 
on his arrival." " His excellency hall 
be served," said the alcalde ; " however, 
as the way is long and the path is bad, 
and there is much bretima amongst the 
hills, it appears to me that, besides the 
bread and wine, his excellency can do 
no less than offer four pesetas to the 
guide who may be willing to accompany 
him to Viveiro: and I know no one 
better than my own son-in-law, Ju- 
I anito." " Content, Senor alcalde," I 
replied; "produce the guide, and the 
extra peseta shall be forthcoming in 
due season." 

Soon appeared Juanito with a lantern 
in his hand. We instantly set forward. 
The two guides began conversing in 
Gallegan. " Mon maitre," said An- 
tonio, "this new scoundrel is asking 
the old one what he thinks we have got 
in our portmanteaus." Then, without 
awaiting my answer, he shouted, " Pis- 
tols, ye barbarians ! Pistols, as you 
shall learn to your cost, if you do not 
cease speaking in that gibberish and 
converse in Castilian." The Gallegans 
were silent, and presently the first guide 
dropped behind, whilst the other with 
the lantern moved before. " Keep in 
the rear," said Antonio to the former, 
et and at a distance : know one thing, 
moreover, that I can see behind as well 
as before. Mon maitre." said he to me, 
" I don't suppose these fellows will 
| attempt to do us any harm, more espe- 



CHAP. XXXI.] 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



189 



cially as they do not know each other ; 
it is well, however, to separate them, 
for this is a time and place which might 
tempt any one to commit robbery and 
murder too." 

The rain still continued to fall un- 
interruptedly, the path was rugged and 
precipitous, and the night was so dark 
that we could only see indistinctly the 
hills which surrounded us. Once or 
twice our guide seemed to have lost his 
way : he stopped, muttered to himself, 
raised his lantern on high, and would 
then walk slowly and hesitatingly for- 
ward. In this manner we proceeded 
for three or four hours, when I asked 
the guide how far we were from Viveiro. 
" I do not know exactly where we are, 
your worship," he replied, " though I 
believe we are in the route. We can 
scarcely, however, be less than two mad 
leagues from Viveiro." " Then we 
shall not arrive there before morning," 
interrupted Antonio, " for a mad league 
of Galicia means at least two of Castile ; 
and perhaps we are doomed never to 
arrive there, if the way thither leads 
down this precipice." As he spoke, 
the guide seemed to descend into the 
bowels of the earth. "Stop," said I, 
" where are you going ?" " To Viveiro, 
Senor," replied the fellow : " this is the 
way to Viveiro, there is no other ; I 
now know where we are." The light 
of the lantern shone upon the dark red 
features of the guide, who had turned 
round to reply, as he stood some yards 
down the side of a dingle or ravine 
overgrown with thick trees, beneath 
whose leafy branches a frightfully steep 
path descended. I dismounted from [ 
the pony, and delivering the bridle to 
the other guide, said, " Here is your 
master's horse ; if you please you may 
lead him down that abyss, but as for 
myself I wash my hands of the matter." 
The fellow, without a word of reply, 
vaulted into the saddle, and with a 
vamos, Perico ! to the pony, impelled 
the creature to the descent. "Come, 
Senor," said he with the lantern, " there 
is no time to be lost, my light will be 
presently extinguished, and this is the 
worst bit in the whole road." I thought 
it very probable that he was about to 
lead us to some den of cut-throats, where 



we might be sacriticed ; but, taking 
courage, I seized our own horse by the 
bridle, and followed the fellow down 
the ravine amidst rocks and brambles. 
The descent lasted nearly ten minutes, 
and ere we had entirely accomplished 
it, the light in the lantern went out, 
and we remained in nearly total dark- 
ness. 

Encouraged, however, by the guide, 
who assured us there was no danger, 
we at length reached the bottom of the 
ravine ; here we encountered a rill of 
water, through which we were com- 
pelled to wade as high as the knee. In 
the midst of the water I looked up and 
caught a glimpse of the heavens through 
the branches of the trees, which all 
around clothed the shelving sides of the 
ravine, and completely embowered the 
channel of the stream : to a place 
more strange and replete with gloom 
and horror no benighted traveller ever 
found his way. After a short pause we 
commenced scaling the opposite bank, 
which we did not find so steep as the 
other, and a few minutes' exertion 
brought us to the top. 

Shortly afterwards the rain abated, 
and the moon arising, cast a dim light 
through the watery mists ; the way had 
become less precipitous, and in about 
two hours we descended to the shore of 
an extensive creek, along which we 
proceeded till we reached a spot where 
many boats and barges lay with their 
keels upward upon the sand. Presently 
we beheld before us the walls of Viveiro, 
upon which the moon was shedding its 
sickly lustre. We entered by a lofty 
[ and seemingly ruinous archway, and 
the guide conducted us at once to the 
posada. 

Every person in Viveiro appeared to 
be buried in profound slumber ; not so 
much as a dog saluted us with his bark. 
After much knocking we were admitted 
into the posada, a large and dilapidated 
edifice. We had scarcely housed our- 
selves and horses when the rain began 
to fall with yet more violence than be- 
fore, attended with much thunder and 
lightning. Antonio and I, exhausted 
with fatigue, betook ourselves to flock 
beds in a ruinous chamber, into which 
the rain penetrated through many a 



190 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



[chap. XXXI. 



cranny, whilst the guides ate bread and 
drank wine till the morning. 

When I arose I was gladdened by 
the sight of a fine day. Antonio forth- 
with prepared a savoury breakfast of 
stewed fowl, of which we stood in much 
need after the ten-league journey of the 
preceding day over the ways which I 
have attempted to describe. I then 
walked out to view the town, which 
consists of little more than one long 
street, on the side of a steep mountain 
thickly clad with forest and fruit-trees. 
At about ten we continued our journey, 
accompanied by our first guide, the 
other having returned to Coisa doiro 
some hours previously. 

Our route throughout this day was 
almost constantly within sight of the 
shores of the Cantabrian sea, whose 
windings we followed. The country 
was barren, and in many parts covered 
with huge stones : cultivated spots, how- 
ever, were to be seen, where vines were 
growing. We met with but few human 
habitations. We however journeyed on 
cheerfully, for the sun was once more 
shining in full brightness, gilding the 
wild moors, and shining upon the waters 
of the distant sea, which lay in unruffled 
calmness. 

At evening fall we were in the neigh- 
bourhood of the shore, with a range of 
wood-covered hills on our right. Our 
guide led us towards a creek bordered 
by a marsh, but he soon stopped, and 
declared that he did not know wnitner 
he was conducting us. 

" Mon maitre," said Antonio, " let 
us be our own guides ; it is, as you see, 
of no use to depend upon this fellow, 
whose whole science consists in leading 
people into quagmires." 

We therefore turned aside, and pro- 
ceeded along the marsh for a consider- 
able distance, till we reached a narrow 
path which led us into a thick wood, 
where we soon became completely be- 
wildered. On a sudden, after wander- 
ing about a considerable time, we heard 
the noise of water, and presently the 
clack of a wheel. Following the sound, 
we arrived at a low stone mill, built 
over a brook ; here we stopped and 
shouted, but no answer was returned. 
" The place is deserted," said Antonio ; 



" here, however, is a path, which, if we 
follow it, will doubtless lead us to some 
human habitation. So we went along 
the path, which, in about ten minutes, 
brought us to the door of a cabin, in 
which we saw lights. Antonio dis- 
mounted and opened the door : "Is 
there any one here who can conduct us 
to Rivadeo ?" he demanded. 

" Senor," answered a voice, " Riva- 
deo is more than five leagues from here, 
and, moreover, there is a river to cross V 

" Then to the next village," continued 
Antonio. 

"I am a vecino of the next village, 
which is on the way to Rivadeo," said 
another voice, " and I will lead you 
thither, if you will give me fair words, 
and, what is better, fair money." 

A man now came forth, holding in 
his hand a large stick. He strode stur- 
dily before us, and in less than half an 
hour led us out of the wood. In another 
half hour he brought us to a group of 
cabins situated near the sea ; he pointed 
to one of these, and having received a 
peseta, bade us farewell. 

The people of the cottage willingly 
consented to receive us for the night : 
it was much more cleanly and com- 
modious than the wretched huts of the 
Gallegan peasantry in general. The 
ground floor consisted of a keeping room 
and stable, whilst above was a long loft, 
in which were some neat and comfort- 
able flock beds. I observed -everal 
masts ana sails of boats. The imiily 
consisted of two brothers, with their 
wives and families ; one was a fisher- 
man, but the other, who appeared to be 
the principal person, informed me that 
he had resided for many years in service 
at Madrid, and, having amassed a small 
sum, he had at length returned to his 
native village, where he had purchased 
some land, which he farmed. All the 
family used the Castilian language in 
their common discourse, and on inquiry 
I learned that the Gallegan was not 
much spoken in that neighbourhood. 
I have forgotten the name of this village, 
which is situated on the estuary of the 
Foz, which rolls down from Mondonedo. 
In the morning we crossed this estuary 
in a large boat, with our horses, and 
about noon arrived at Riradeo, 



CHAP. XXXI. | 



THE BJHLE IN SPAIN. 



" Now, your worship," said the guide 
who had accompanied us from Ferrol, 
" I have brought you as far as I bar- 
gamed, and a hard journey it has been : 
I therefore hope you will suffer Perico 
and myself to remain here to-night at 
your expense, and to-morrow we will 
go back ; at present we are both sorely 
tired." 

" I never mounted a better pony than 
Perico," said I, " and never met with a 
worse guide than yourself. You appear 
to be perfectly ignorant of the coimtry, 
and have done nothing but bring us 
into difficulties. You may, however, 
stay here for the night, as you say you 
are tired, and to-morrow you may re- 
turn to Ferrol, where I counsel you to 
adopt some other trade." This was j 
said at the door of the posada of Ri- 
vadeo. i 

" Shall I lead the horses to a stable?" j 
said the fellow. 

" As you please," said 1 . 

Antonio looked after him for a mo- 
ment, as he was leading the animals 
away, and then, shaking his head, fol- 
lowed slowly after. In about a quarter 
of an hour he returned, laden with the 
furniture of our own horse, and with a 
smile upon his countenance : " Mon 
maitre," said he, " I have throughout 
the journey had a bad opinion of this 
fellow, and now I have detected him : 
his motive in requesting permission to 
stay was a desire to purloin something 
from us. He was very officious in the 
stable about our horse, and I now miss 
the new leathern girth which secured 
the saddle, and which I observed him 
looking at frequently on the road. He 
has by this time doubtless hid it some- 
where; we are quite secure of him, 
however, for he has not yet received 
the hire for the pony, nor the gratuity 
for himself." 

The guide returned just as he had 
concluded speaking. Dishonesty is al- 
v tys suspicious. The fellow cast a 
c lance upon us, and probably beholding 
ia our countenances something which 
he did not like, he suddenly said, " Give 
me the horse-hire and my own propina, 
for Perico and I wish to be off in- 
stantly." 

" How is this ?" said I; "I thought 



you and Perico were both fatigued, and 
wished to rest here for the night : you 
have soon recovered from your weari- 
ness." 

" I have thought over the matter," 
said the fellow, " and my master will 
be angry if I loiter here : pay us, there- 
fore, and let us go." 

" Certainly," said I, " if you wish it. 
Is the horse furniture all right ?" 

" Quite so," said he ; "I delivered it 
all to your servant." 

" It is all here," said Antonio, " with 
the exception of the leathern girth." 

" I have not got it," said the guide. 

" Of course not," said I. " Let us 
proceed to the stable, we shall perhaps 
find it there." 

To the stable we went, which we 
searched through : no girth, however, 
was forthcoming. " He has got it 
buckled round his middle beneath his 
pantaloons, mon maitre," said Antonio, 
whose eyes were moving about Hke 
those of a lynx ; " I saw the protuber- 
ance as he stooped down. However, 
let us take no notice : he is here sur- 
rounded by his countrymen, who, if we 
were to seize him, might perhaps take 
his part. As I said before, he is in our 
power, as we have not paid him." 

The fellow now began to talk in Gal- 
legan to the bystanders, (several per- 
sons having collected,) wishing the 
Denho to take him if he knew any- 
thing of the missing property. Nobody, 
however, seemed inclined to take his 
part; and those who listened, only 
shrugged their shoulders. We returned 
to the portal of the posada, the fellow 
following us, clamouring for the horse- 
hire and propina. We made him no 
answer, and at length he went away, 
threatening to apply to the justicia ; in 
about ten minutes, however, he came 
running back with the girth in his 
hand : " I have just found it," said he, 
" in the street : your servant dropped it." 

I took the leather and proceeded very 
deliberately to count out the sum to 
which the horse-hire amounted, and 
having delivered it to him in the pre- 
sence of witnesses, I said, " During the 
whole journey you have been of no ser- 
vice to us whatever ; nevertheless, you 
have fared like ourselves, and have had 



192 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



[CHAP. XXXI. 



all you could desire to eat and drink. 
I intended, on your leaving us, to pre- 
sent you, moreover, with a propina of 
two dollars ; but since, notwithstanding 
our kind treatment, you endeavoured to 
pillage us, I will not give you a cuarto : 
go, therefore, about your business." 

All the audience expressed their sa- 
tisfaction at this sentence, and told him 
that he had been rightly served, and 
that he was a disgrace to Galicia. Two 
or three women crossed themselves, and 
asked him if he was not afraid that the 
Denho, whom he had invoked, would 
take him away. At last, a respectable- 
looking man said to him : " Are you 
not ashamed to have attempted to rob 
two innocent strangers ?" 



" Strangers !" roared the fellow, who 
was by this time foaming with rage : 
" innocent strangers, carracho ! they 
know more of Spain and Galicia too 
than the whole of us. Oh, Denho, that 
servant is no man but a wizard, a nu- 
veiro. — Where is Perico ?" 

He mounted Perico, and proceeded 
forthwith to another posada. The tale, 
however, of his dishonesty had gone 
before him, and no person would house 
him; whereupon he returned on his 
steps, and seeing me looking out of 
the window of the house, he gave a 
savage shout, and shaking his fist at 
me, galloped out of the town; the 
people pursuing him with hootings ana 
revilings. 



CHAPTER XXXII. 



Martin of Rivadeo — The Factious Mare — Asturians— Luarca — The Seven Beilotas — Hermits— 
The Asturian's Tale — Strange Guests — The Big Servant — Batuschca. 



" What may your business be ?" said 
I to a short, thick, merry-faced fellow 
in a velveteen jerkin and canvass pan- 
taloons, who made his way into my 
apartment, in the dusk of the evening. 

" I am Martin of Rivadeo, your wor- 
ship," replied the man, " an alquilador 
by profession ; I am told that you want 
a horse for your journey into the Astu- 
rias to-morrow, and of course a guide : 
now, if that be the case, I counsel you 
to hire myself and mare." 

" I am become tired of guides," I re- 
plied ; " so much so that I was thinking 
of purchasing a pony, and proceeding 
without any guide at all. The last 
which we had was an infamous cha- 
racter." 

" So I have been told, your worship, 
and it was well for the bribon that I 
was not in Rivadeo when the affair 
to which you allude occurred. But he 
was gone with the pony Perico before I 
came back, or I would have bled the 
fellow to a certainty with my knife. 
He is a disgrace to the profession, which 
is one of the most honourable and an- 
cient in the world. Perico himself 
must have been ashamed of him, for 
Perico, though a pony, is a gentleman, 
one of many capacities, and well known 
upon the roads. He is only inferior to 
my mare." 

" Are you well acquainted with the 
road to Oviedo ?" I demanded. 

" I am not, your worship ; that is, 
no farther than Luarca, which is the 
first day's journey. I do not wish to 
deceive you, therefore let me go with 
you no farther than that place ; though 
perhaps I might serve for the whole 
journey, for though I am unacquainted 
with the country, I have a tongue in 
my head, and nimble feet to run and 
ask questions. I will, however, an- 



swer for myself no farther than Luarca, 
where you can please yourselves. Your 
being strangers is what makes me wish 
to accompany you, for I like the con- 
versation of strangers, from whom I am 
sure to gain information both enter- 
taining and profitable. I wish, more- 
over, to convince you that we guides of 
Galicia are not all thieves, which I am 
sure you will not suppose if you only 
permit me to accompany you as far as 
Luarca." 

I was so much struck with the fel- 
low's good humour and frankness, and 
more especially by the originality of 
character displayed in almost every 
sentence which he uttered, that I rea- 
dily engaged him to guide us to Luarca ; 
whereupon he left me, promising to 
be ready with his mare at eight next 
morning. 

Rivadeo is one of the principal sea- 
ports of Galicia, and is admirably si- 
tuated for commerce, on a deep firth, 
into which the river Mirando de- 
bouches. It contains many magnificent 
buildings, and an extensive square or 
plaza, which is planted with trees. I 
observed several vessels in the harbour ; 
and the population, which is rather nu- 
merous, exhibited none of those marks 
of misery and dejection which I had 
lately observed among the Ferrolese. 

On the morrow Martin of Rivadeo 
made his appearance at the appointed 
hour with his mare. It was a lean 
haggard animal, not much larger than 
a pony ; it had good points, however, 
and was very clean in its hinder legs, 
and Martin insisted that it was the best 
animal of its kind in all Spain. " It is 
a factious mare," said he, " and I be- 
lieve an Alavese. When the Carlists 
came here it fell lame, and they left it 
behind, and I purchased it for a dollar. 

O 2 



194 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



[chap. XXXII. 



It is not lame now, however, as you 
shall soon see." 

We had now reached the firth which 
divides Galicia from the Asturias. A 
kind of barge was lying about two 
yards from the side of the quay, wait- 
ing to take us over. Towards this 
Martin led his mare, and giving an en- 
couraging shout, the creature without 
any hesitation sprang over the inter- 
vening space into the barge. " I told 
you she was a facciosa," said Martin ; 
" none but a factious animal would have 
taken such a leap." 

We all embarked in the barge and 
crossed over the firth, which is in this 
place nearly a mile broad, to Castro 
Pol, the first town in the Asturias. I 
now mounted the factious mare, whilst 
Antonio followed on my own horse. 
Martin led the way, exchanging jests 
with every person whom he met on the 
road, and occasionally enlivening the 
way with an extemporaneous song. 

We were now in the Asturias, and 
about noon we reached Navias, a small 
fishing town, situate on a ria or firth : 
in the neighbourhood are ragged moun- 
tains, called the Sierra de Buron, which 
stand in the shape of a semicircle. We 
saw a small vessel in the harbour, which 
we subsequently learned was from the 
Basque provinces, come for a cargo of 
cider or sagadua, the beverage so dearly 
loved by the Basques. As we passed 
along the narrow street, Antonio was 
hailed with an " Ola" from a species of 
shop in which three men, apparently 
shoemakers, were seated. He stopped 
for some time to converse with them, 
and when he joined us at the posada 
where we halted, I asked him who 
they were : " Mon maitre," said he, " ce 
sont des messieurs de ma connoissance. 
I have been fellow servant at different 
times with all three ; and I tell you be- 
forehand, that we shall scarcely pass 
through a village in this country where 
I shall not find an acquaintance. All 
the Asturians, at some period of their 
lives, make a journey to Madrid, where, 
if they can obtain a situation, they re- 
main until they have scraped up suffi- 
cient to turn to advantage in their own 
country ; and as I have served ill all the 
great houses in Madrid, I am acquainted 



with the greatest part of them. I have 
nothing to say against the Asturians, 
save that they are close and penurious 
whilst at service; but they are not 
thieves, neither at home nor abroad, 
and though we must have our wits 
about us in their country, I have heard 
we may travel from one end of it to the 
other without the slightest fear of being 
either robbed or ill-treated, which is 
not the case in Galicia, where we were 
always in danger of having our throats 
cut." 

Leaving Navias, we proceeded through 
a wild desolate country, till we reached 
the pass of Baralla, which lies up the 
side of a huge wall of rocks, which at a 
distance appear of a light green colour, 
though perfectly bare of herbage or 
plants of any description. 

" This pass," said Martin of Riva- 
deo, " bears a very evil reputation, and 
I should not like to travel it after sun- 
set. It is not infested by robbers, but 
by things much worse, the duendes of 
two friars of Saint Francis. It is said 
that in the old time, long before the 
convents were suppressed, two friars of 
the order of Saint Francis left their 
convent to beg; it chanced that they 
were very successful, but as they were 
returning at nightfall by this pass, they 
had a quarrel about, what they had col- 
lected, each insisting that he had done 
his duty better than the other ; at last, 
from high words they fell to abuse, and 
from abuse to blows. What do you 
think these demons of friars did? They 
took off their cloaks, and at the end of 
each they made a knot, in which they 
placed a large stone, and with these 
they thrashed and belaboured each other 
till both fell dead. Master, I know not 
which are the worst plagues, friars, cu- 
rates, or sparrows : 

'May the Lord God preserve us from evil 
birds three ; 
From all friars ami curates and sparrows 

that be ; 

For the sparrows eat up all the corn that 

we sow, 

The friars drink down all the wine that we 

grow, 

Whilst the curates have all the fair dames at 
their noa : 

From these three evil curses preserve us, 
Lord God. 5 ' ' 

In about two hours f;um this time 



chap, xxxii.) THE BIBLE 

we reached Luarca, the situation of I 
which is most singular. It stands in a 
deep hollow, whose sides are so pre- 
cipitous that it is impossible to descry 
the town until you stand just above it. 
At the northern extremity of this hol- 
low is a small harbour, the sea entering 
by a narrow cleft. We found a large 
and comfortable posada, and by the 
advice of Martin, made inquiry for a 
fresh guide and horse ; we were in- 
formed, however, that all the horses of 
the place were absent, and that if we 
waited for their return, we must tarry 
for two days. " I had a presentiment," 
said Martin, " when we entered Luarca, 
that we were not doomed to part at 
present. You must now hire my mare 
and me as far as Giyon, from whence 
there is a conveyance to Oviedo. To 
tell you the truth, I am by no means 
sorry that the guides are absent, for I 
am pleased with your company, as I 
make no doubt you are with mine. 
I will now go and write a letter to my 
wife at llivadeo, informing her that 
she must not expect to see me back for 
several days." He then went out of the 
room singing the following stanza : — 

** A handless man a letter did write, 
A dumb dictated it word for word : 
The person who read it had lost his sight, 
And deaf was he who listened and heard." ■ 

Early the next morning we emerged 
from the hollow of Luarca ; about an 
hour's riding brought us to Caneiro, a 
deep and romantic valley of rocks, 
shaded by tall chestnut trees. Through 
the midst of this valley rushes a rapid 
stream, which we crossed in a boat. 
" There is not such a stream for trout 
in all the Asturias," said the ferryman ; 
"look down into the waters and ob- 
serve the large stones over which it 
flows; now in the proper season, and 
in fine weather, you cannot see those 
stones for the multitudes of fish which 
cover them." 

Leaving the valley behind us, we 
entered into a wild and dreary country, 
stony and mountainous. The day was 
dull and gloomy, and all around looked 
sad and melancholy. " Are we in the 
way for Giyon and Oviedo ? " demanded 
Martin of an ancient female, who stood 
at the door of a cottage. 



IN SPAIN. l&ft 



I "For Giyon and Oviedo !" replied 
the crone ; " many is the weary step 
you will have to make before you reach 
Giyon and Oviedo. You must first of 
all crack the bellotas : you are just be- 
low them." 

" What does she mean by cracking 
the bellotas ?" demanded I of Martin of 
Rivadeo. 

" Did your worship never hear of 
the seven bellotas ? " replied our guide. 
" I can scarcely tell you what they are, 
as I have never seen them ; I believe 
they are seven hills which we have to 
cross, and are called bellotas from some 
resemblance to acorns which it is fan- 
cied they bear. I have often heard of 
these acorns, and am not sorry that I 
have now an opportunity of seeing 
them, though it is said that they are 
rather hard things for horses to di- 

The Asturian mountains in this part 
rise to a considerable altitude. They 
consist for the most part of dark gra- 
nite, covered here and there with a 
thin layer of earth. They approach 
very near to the sea, to which they 
slope down in broken ridges, between 
which are deep and precipitous defiles, 
each with its rivulet, the tribute of the 
hills to the salt flood. The road tra- 
verses tnese defiles. There are seven 
of them, which are called, in the lan- 
guage of the country, Las siete bellotas. 
Of all tnese the most terrible is the 
midmost, down which rolls an impe- 
tuous torrent. At the upper end of it 
rises a precipitous wall of rock, black 
as soot, to the height of several hun- 
dred yards ; its top, as we passed, was 
enveloped with a veil of bretima. From 
this gorge branch off, on either side, 
small dingles or glens, some of them so 
overgrown with trees and copsewood, 
that the eye is unable to penetrate the 
obscurity beyond a few yards. 

" Fine places w 7 ould some of these 
dingles prove for hermitages," said I 
to Martin of Eivadeo. " Holy men 
might lead a happy life there on roots 
and water, and pass many years ab- 
sorbed in heavenly contemplation with- 
out ever being disturbed by the noise 
and turmoil of the world." 

" True, your worship." reulied Mar- 



196 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



[chap, xxxil 



tin ; " and perhaps on that very account 
there are no hermitages in the barran- 
cos of the seven bellotas. Our hermits 
had little inclination for roots and 
water, and had no kind of objection to 
be occasionally disturbed in their me- 
ditations. Vaya ! I never yet saw a 
hermitage that was not hard by some 
rich town or village, or was not a re- 
gular resort for all the idle people in 
the neighbourhood. Hermits are not 
fond of living in dingles, amongst 
wolves and foxes ; for how in that case 
could they dispose of their poultry? 
A hermit of my acquaintance left, when 
he died, a fortune of seven hundred 
dollars to his niece, the greatest part of 
which he scraped up by fattening tur- 
keys." 

At the top of this bellota we found a 
wretched venta, where we refreshed 
ourselves, and then continued our jour- 
ney. Late in the afternoon we cleared 
the last of these difficult passes. The 
wind began now to rise, bearing on its 
wings a drizzling rain. We passed by 
Soto Luino, and shaping our course 
through a wild but picturesque country, 
we found ourselves about nightfall at 
the foot of a steep hill, up which led 
a narrow bridle-way, amidst a grove 
of lofty trees. Long before we had 
reached the top it had become quite 
dark, and the rain had increased con- 
siderably. We stumbled along in the 
obscurity, leading our horses, which 
were occasionally down on their knees, 
owing to the slipperiness of the path. 
At last we accomplished the ascent in 
safety, and pushing briskly forward, 
we found ourselves in about half an 
hour at the entrance of Muros, a large 
village situated just on the declivity of 
the farther side of the hill. 

A blazing fire in the posada soon 
dried our wet garments, and in some 
degree recompensed us for the fatigues 
which we had undergone in scrambling 
up the bellotas. A rather singular 
place was this same posada of Muros. 
It was a large rambling house, with a 
spacious kitchen, or common room, on 
the ground floor. Above stairs was a 
large dining apartment, with an im- 
mense oak table, and furnished with 
cumbrous leathern chairs with high 



backs, apparently three centuries old 
at least. Communicating with this 
apartment was a wooden gallery, open 
to the air, which led to a small cham- 
ber, in which I was destined to sleep, 
and which contained an old-fashioned 
tester-bed with curtains. It was just 
one of those inns which romance 
writers are so fond of introducing in 
their descriptions, especially when" the 
scene of adventure lies in Spain. The 
host was a talkative Asturian. 

The wind still howled, and the rain 
descended in torrents. I sat before the 
fire in a very drowsy state, from which 
I was presently aroused by the conver- 
sation of the host. " Senor," said he, 
"it is now three years since I beheld 
foreigners in my house. I remember 
it was about this time of the year, and 
just such a night as this, that two men 
on horseback arrived here. What was 
singular, they came without any guide. 
Two more strange-looking individuals 
I never yet beheld with eye-sight. I 
shall never forget them. The one 
was as tall as a giant, with much tawny 
moustache, like the coat of a badger, 
growing about his mouth. He had a 
huge ruddy face, and looked dull and 
stupid, as he no doubt was, for when I 
spoke to him he did not seem to under- 
stand, and answered in a jabber, val- 
game Dios ! so wild and strange, that 
I remained staring at him with mouth 
and eyes open. The other was neither 
tall nor red-faced, nor had he hair 
about his mouth, and indeed he had 
very little upon his head. He was 
very diminutive, and looked like a 
jorobado {hunchback) ; but, valgame 
Dios ! such eyes, like wild cats', so 
sharp and full of malice. He spoke as 
good Spanish as I myself do, and yet 
he was no Spaniard. A Spaniard never 
looked like that man. He was dressed 
in a zamarra, with much silver and 
embroidery, and wore an Andalusian 
hat, and I soon found that he was 
master, and that the other was ser- 
vant. 

" Valgame Dios ! what an evil dis- 
position had that same foreign joro- 
bado, and yet he had much grace, much 
humour, and said occasionally to me 
such comical things, that I was fit to 



PHAP. XXXII.] 



THE BIBLE 



IN SPAIN. 



197 



die of laughter. So he sat down to 
supper in the room above, and I may 
as well tell you here, that he slept in 
the same chamber where your worship 
will sleep to-night, and his servant 
waited behind his chair. Well, I had 
curiosity, so I sat myself down at the 
table too, without asking leave. Why 
should I ? I was in my own house, 
and an Asturian is fit company for a 
king, and is often of better blood. Oh, 
what a strange supper was that. If 
the servant made the slightest mistake 
in helping him, up would start the 
jorobado, jump upon his chair, and 
seizing the big giant by the hair, 
would cuff him on both sides of his 
face till I was afraid his teeth would 
have fallen out. The giant, however, 
did not seem to care about it much. 
He was used to it, I suppose. Valgame 
Dios ! if he had been a Spaniard he 
would not have submitted to it so pa- 
tiently. But what surprised me most 
was, that after beating his servant the 
master would sit down, and the next 
moment would begin conversing and 
laughing with him as if nothing had 
happened, and the giant also would 
laugh and converse with his master, 
for all the world as if he had not been 
beaten. 

" You may well suppose, Senor, that 
I understood nothing of their discourse, 
for it was all in that strange unchristian 
tongue in which the giant answered 
me when I spoke to him ; the sound of 
it is still ringing in my ears. It was 
nothing like other languages. Not like 
Bascuen, not like the language in which 
your worship speaks to my namesake 
Signor Antonio here. Valgame Dios 1 
I can compare it to nothing but the 
sound a person makes when he rinces 
his mouth with water. There is one 
word which I think I still remember, 
lor it was continually proceeding from 
the giant's lips, but his master never 
used it. 

" But the strangest part of the story 
is yet to be told, The supper was ended, 
and the night was rather advanced ; the 
rain still beat against the windows, 
even as it does at this moment. Sud- 
denly the jorobado pulled out his watch. 
Valgame Dios ! such a watch I I will 



tell you one thing, Senor, that I could 
purchase all the Asturias, and Muros 
besides, with the brilliants which shone 
about the sides of that same watch : 
the room wanted no lamp, I trow, so 
great was the splendour which they 
cast. So the jorobado looked at his 
watch, and then said to me, I shall go 
to rest. He then took the lamp, and 
went through the gallery to his room, 
followed by his big servant. Well, 
Senor, I cleared away the things, and 
then waited below for the servant, for 
whom I had prepared a comfortable 
bed, close by my own. Senor, I waited 
patiently for an hour, till at last my 
patience was exhausted, and I ascended 
to the supper apartment, and passed 
through the gallery till I came to the 
door of the strange guest. Senor, what 
do you think I saw at the door ? " 

" How should I know ? " I replied. 
" His riding boots, perhaps.'' 

" No, Seiior, I did not see his riding 
boots ; but, stretched on the floor with 
his head against the door, so that it 
was impossible to open it without dis- 
turbing him, lay the big servant fast 
asleep, his immense legs reaching nearly 
the whole length of the gallery. I 
crossed myself, as well I might, for the 
wind was howling even as it is now, 
and the rain was rushing down into 
the gallery in torrents ; yet there lay 
the big servant fast asleep, without any 
covering, without any pillow, not even 
a log, stretched out before his master's 
door. 

" Senor, I got little rest that night, 
for I said to myself, I have evil wizards 
in my house, folks who are not human. 
Once or twice I went up and peeped 
into the gallery, but there still lay the 
big servant fast asleep, so I crossed 
myself, and returned to my bed 
again." 

" Well," said I, " and what occurred 
next day?" 

" Nothing particular occurred next 
day : the jorobado came down and said 
comical things to me in good Spanish ; 
and the big servant came down, but 
whatever he said, and he did not say 
much, I understood not, for it was in 
that disastrous jabber. They stayed 
with me throughout the day till after 



193 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



[chap. XXXII. 



supper-time, an 1 then the jorobado gave 
me a gold ounce, and mounting their 
horses, they both departed as strangely 
as they had come, in the dark night, I 
know not whither. " 

" Is that all ? " I demanded. 

" No, Serior, it is not all ; for I was 
right in supposing them evil brujos : 
the very next day an express arrived, 
and a great search was made after 
them, and I was arrested tor having 
harboured them. This occurred just 
after the present wars had commenced. 
It was said they were spies and emis- 
saries of I don't know what nation, 
and that they had been in all parts of 
the Asturias, holding conferences with 
some of the disaffected. They escaped, 
however, and were never heard of 
more, though the animals which they 



rode were found without their riders, 
wandering amongst the hills ; they 
were common ponies, and were of no 
value. As for the brujos, it is believed 
that they embarked in some small ves- 
sel which was lying concealed in one of 
the rias of the coast." 

Myself. — What was the word which 
you continually heard proceeding from 
the lips of the big servant, and which 
you think you can remember ? 

Host. — Senor, it is now three years 
since I heard it, and at times I can 
remember it, and at others not ; some- 
times I have started up in my sleep 
repeating it. Stay, Senor, I have it 
now at the point of my tongue : it was 
Patusca. 

Myself. — Batuschca, you mean ; the 
men were Russians. 



f ?Q9 ] 



CHAPTER XXXIII. 



Oviedo — The Ten Gentlemen — The Swiss again — Modest Request— The Robbers — Episcopal 
Benevolence — The Cathedral — Portrait of Feijoo. 



I must now take a considerable stride 
in my journey, no less than from Muros 
to Oviedo, contenting myself with ob- 
serving, that we proceeded from Muros 
to Velez, and from thence to Giyon, 
where our guide Martin bade us fare- 
well, and returned with his mare to 
Kivadeo. The honest fellow did not 
part without many expressions of re- 
gret : indeed he even expressed a desire 
that I should take him and his mare 
,into my service. " For," said he, " I 
have a great desire to run through all 
Spain, and even the world ; and I am 
sure I shall never have a better oppor- 
tunity than by attaching myself to your 
worship's skirts." On my reminding 
him, however, of his wife and family, 
for he had both, he said, " True, true, 
I had forgotten them : happy the guide 
whose only wife and family are a mare 
and foal." 

Oviedo is about three leagues from 
Giyon. Antonio rode the horse, whilst 
I proceeded thither in a kind of dili- 
gence which runs daily between the 
two towns. The road is good, but 
mountainous. I arrived safely at the 
capital of the Asturias, although at a 
rather unpropitious season, for the din 
of war was at the gate, and there was 
the cry of the captains and the shouting. 
Castile, at the time of which I am writ- 
ing, was in the hands of the Carlists, 
who had captured and plundered Val- 
ladolid in much the same manner as 
they had Segovia some time before. 
They were every day expected to march 
on Oviedo, in which case they might 
perhaps have experienced some resist- 
ance, a considerable body of troops 
being stationed there, who had erected 
some redoubts, and strongly fortified 
several of the convents, especially that 



of Santa Clara de la Vega. All minds 
were in a state of feverish anxiety and 
suspense, more especially as no intelli- 
gence arrived from Madrid, which by 
the last accounts was said to be occu- 
pied by the bands of Cabrera and 
Palillos. 

So it came to pass that one night I 
found myself in the ancient town of 
Oviedo, in a very large, scantily fur- 
nished, and remote room in an ancient 
posada, formerly a palace of the counts 
of Santa Cruz. It was past ten, and 
the rain was descending in torrents. I 
was writing, but suddenly ceased on 
hearing numerous footsteps ascending 
the creaking stairs which led to my 
apartment. The door was flung open, 
and in walked nine men of tall stature, 
marshalled by a little hunchbacked per- 
sonage. They were all muffled in the 
long cloaks of Spain, but I instantly 
knew by their demeanour that they 
were caballeros, or gentlemen. They 
placed themselves in a rank before the 
table where I was sitting. Suddenly 
and simultaneously they all flung back 
their cloaks, and I perceived that every 
one bore a book in his hand ; a book 
which I knew full well. After a pause, 
which I was unable to break, for I sat 
lost in astonishment, and almost con- 
ceived myself to be visited by appari- 
tions, the hunchback, advancing some- 
what before the rest, said in soft silvery 
tones, " Senor Cavalier, was it you who 
brought this book to the Asturias?" 
I now supposed that they were the civil 
authorities of the place come to take me 
into custody, and, rising from my seat, 
I exclaimed, " It certainly was I, and 
it is my glory to have done so: the 
book is the New Testament of God : I 
wish it was in my power to bring a 



200 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



[chap. XXXIII, 



million." " I heartily wish so too," 
said the little personage with a sigh. 
" Be under no apprehension, Sir Cava- 
lier, these gentlemen are my friends ; 
we have just purchased these books in 
the shop where you placed them for 
sale, and have taken the liberty of call- 
ing upon you, in order to return you our 
thanks for the treasure you have brought 
us. I hope you can furnish us with 
the Old Testament also/' I replied, 
that I was sorry to inform him that at 
present it was entirely out of my power 
to comply with his wish, as I had no 
Old Testaments in my possession, but 
did not despair of procuring some 
speedily from England. He then asked 
me a great many questions concerning 
my biblical travels in Spain, and my 
success, and the views entertained by 
the Society with respect to Spain, add- 
ing, that he hoped we should pay par- 
ticular attention to the Asturias, which 
he assured me was the best ground in 
the Peninsula for our labour. After about 
half an hour's conversation, he suddenly 
said, in the English language, " Good 
night, Sir," wrapped his cloak around 
him, and walked out as he had come. 
His companions, who had hitherto not 
uttered a word, all repeated " Good 
night, Sir," and, adjusting their cloaks, 
followed him. 

In order to explain this strange scene, 
I must state, that in the morning I had 
visited the petty bookseller of the place, 
Longoria, and having arranged preli- 
minaries with him, I sent him in the 
evening a package of forty Testaments, 
all I possessed, with some advertise- 
ments. At the time he assured me 
that, though he was willing to under- 
take the sale, there was, nevertheless, 
not a prospect of success, as a whole 
month had elapsed since he had sold a 
book of any description, on account of 
the uncertainty of the times, and the 
poverty which pervaded the land: I 
therefore felt much dispirited. This 
incident, however, admonished me not 
to be cast down when things look 
gloomiest, as the hand of the Lord is 
generally then most busy: that men 
may learn to perceive, that whatever 
ffood is accomplished is not their work 
but His. 



Two or three days after this adven- 
ture, I was once more seated in my 
large scantily-furnished room ; it was 
about ten, of a dark melancholy morn- 
ing, and the autumnal rain was again 
falling. I had just breakfasted, and was 
about to sit down to my journal, when 
the door was flung open and in bounded 
Antonio. 

" Mon maitre," said he, quite breath- 
less, " who do you think has arrived?" 

" The pretender, I suppose," said I, 
in some trepidation ; " if so, we are pri- 
soners." 

" Bah, bah ! " said Antonio, " it is 
not the pretender, but one worth twenty 
of him ; it is the Swiss of Saint James." 

" Benedict Mol, the Swiss !" said X. 
" What ! has he found the treasure ? 
But how did he come? How is he 
dressed ?" 

" Mon maitre," said Antonio, " he 
came on foot, if we may judge by his 
shoes, through which his toes are stick- 
ing ; and as for his dress, he is in most 
villanous apparel." 

" There must be some mystery in 
this," said I ; " where is he at pre- 
sent ? " 

" Below, mon maitre," replied An- 
tonio ; " he came in quest of us. But I 
no sooner saw him, than I hurried away 
to let you know." 

In a few minutes Benedict Mol found 
his way up stairs ; he was, as Antonio 
had remarked, in most villanous ap- 
parel, and nearly barefooted; his old 
Andalusian hat was dripping with 
rain. 

" Och, lieber herr," said Benedict, 
" how rejoiced I am to see you again. 
Oh, the sight of your countenance al- 
most repays me for all the miseries I 
have undergone since I parted with you 
at Saint James." 

Myself. — I can scarcely believe that 
I really see you here at Oviedo. What 
motive can have induced you to come 
to such an out-of-the-way place from 
such an immense distance. 

Benedict. — Lieber herr, I will sit 
down and tell you all that has befallen 
me. Some few days after I saw you 
last, the canonigo persuaded me to go to 
the captain-general to apply for permis- 
sion to disinter the schatz, and also to 



CHAP. XXXIIl.j 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



crave assistance. So I saw the captain- 
general, who at first received me very 
kindly, asked me several questions, and 
told me to come again. So I continued 
visiting him till he would see me no 
longer, and, do what I might, I could 
not obtain a glance of him. The canon 
now became impatient, more especially 
as he had given me a few pesetas out of 
the charities of the church. He fre- 
quently called me a bribon and impos- 
tor. At last, one morning I went to 
him, and said that I proposed to return 
to Madrid, in order to lay the matter 
before the government; and requested 
that he would give me a certificate to 
the effect that I had performed a pil- 
grimage to Saint James, which I ima- 
gined would be of assistance to me upon 
the way, as it would enable me to beg 
with some colour of authority. He no 
sooner heard this request, than, without 
saying a word or allowing me a moment 
to put myself on my defence, he sprang 
upon me like a tiger, grasping my 
throat so hard that I thought he would 
have strangled me. I am a Swiss, how- 
ever, and a man of Lucerne, and when 
I had recovered myself a little, I had 
no difficulty in flinging him off; I then 
threatened him with my staff and went 
away. He followed me to the gate 
with the most horrid curses, saying, 
that if I presumed to return again, he 
would have me thrown at once into 
prison as a thief and a heretic. So I 
went in quest of yourself, lieber herr, 
but they told me that you were departed 
for Coruna ; I then set out for Coruna 
after you. 

Myself. — And what befell you on the 
read? 

Benedict. — I will tell you : about 
half-way between Saint James and Co- 
runa, as I was walking along, thinking 
of the schatz, I heard a loud galloping, 
and looking around me I saw two men 
on horseback coming across the field 
with the swiftness of the wind, and 
making directly for me. Lieber Gott, 
said I, these are thieves, these are fac- 
tious ; and so they were. They came 
tip to me in a moment and bade me 
stand, so I flung down my staff, took 
oft my hat and saluted them. " Good 
iay, caballeros," said I to them. " Good 



day, countryman," said they to me, and 
then we stood staring at each other for 
more than a minute. Lieber himmel, 
I never saw such robbers ; so finely 
dressed, so well armed, and mounted so 
bravely on two fiery little hakkas, that 
looked as if they could have taken wing 
and flown up into the clouds ! So we 
continued staring at each other, till at 
last one asked me who I was, whence I 
came, and where I was going. " Gen- 
tlenien," said I, " I am a Swiss, I have 
been to Saint James to perform a reli- 
gious vow, and am now returning to my 
own country." I said not a word about 
the treasure, for I was afraid that they 
would have shot me at once, conceiving 
that I carried part of • it about me. 
" Have you any money ? " they de- 
manded. " Gentlemen," I replied, " you 
see how I travel on foot, with my shoes 
torn to pieces ; I should not do so if I 
had money. I will not deceive you, 
however, I have a peseta and a few 
cuartos," and thereupon I took out what 
I had and offered it to them. "Fel- 
low," said they, " we are caballeros of 
Galicia, and do not take pesetas, much 
less cuartos. Of what opinion are you ? 
Are you for the queen ?" " No, gentle- 
men," said I, " I am not for the queen ; 
but, at the same time, allow me to tell 
you that I am not for the king either ; 
I know nothing about the matter ; I am 
a Swiss, and fight neither for nor 
against anybody unless I am paid." 
This made them laugh, and then they 
questioned me about Saint James, and 
the troops there, and the captain-gene- 
ral ; and not to disoblige them, I told 
them all I knew, and much more. Then 
one of them, who looked the fiercest and 
most determined, took his trombone in 
his hand, and pointing it at me, said, 
" Had you been a Spaniard, we would 
have blown your head to shivers, for we 
should have thought you a spy, but we 
see you are a foreigner, and believe 
what you have said; take, therefore, 
this peseta and go your way, but be- 
ware that you tell nobody anything 
about us, for if you do, carracho ! " He 
then discharged his trombone just over 
my head, so that for a moment I 
thought myself shot ; and then with an 
awful shout, they both galloped away, 



202 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



[chap. XXXIII, 



their horses leaping over the barrancos, 
as if possessed with many devils. 

Myself. — And what happened to you 
on your arrival at Coruna ? 

Benedict. — When I arrived at Co- 
runa, I inquired after yourself, lieber 
herr, and they informed me that, only 
the day before my arrival, you had 
departed for Oviedo : and when I heard 
that, my heart died within me, for I 
was now at the far end of Galicia, with- 
out a friend to help me. For a day or 
two I knew not what to do ; at last I 
determined to make for the frontier of 
France, passing through Oviedo in the 
way, where I hoped to see you, and 
ask counsel of you. So I begged and 
bettled among the Germans of Coruna. 
I, however, got very little from them, 
only a few cuarts, less than the thieves 
had given me on the road from Saint 
James, and with these I departed for 
the Asturias by the way of Mondonedo. 
Och. what a town is that, full of canons, 
priests, and pfaflen, all of them more 
Carlist than Carlos himself. 

One day I went to the bishop's pa- 
lace and spoke to him, telling him I 
was a pilgrim from Saint James, and 
requesting assistance. He told me, 
however, that he could not relieve me, 
and as for my being a pilgrim from 
Saint James, he was glad of it, and 
hoped that it would be of service to my 
soul. So I left Mondonedo, and got 
amongst the wild mountains, begging 
and bettling at the door of every choza 
that I passed ; telling all I saw that 
I was a pilgrim from Saint James, and 
showing my passport in proof that I 
had been there. Lieber herr, no per- 
son gave me a cuart, nor even a piece 
of broa, and both Gallegans and Astu- 
rians laughed at Saint James, and told 
me that his name was no longer a pass- 
port in Spain. I should have starved 
if I had not sometimes plucked an ear 
or two out of the maize fields ; I like- 
wise gathered grapes from the parras 
and berries from the brambles, and in 
this manner I subsisted till I arrived at 
the bellotas, where I slaughtered a stray 
kid which I met, and devoured part of 
the flesh raw, so great was my hunger. 
It made me, however, very ill ; and for 
two days I lay in a barranco half dead 



and unable to help myself; it was a 
mercy that I was not devoured by the 
wolves. I then struck across the coun- 
try for Oviedo : how I reached it I do 
not know ; I was like one walking in a 
dream. Last night I slept in an empty 
hogsty about two leagues from here, 
and ere I left it, I fell down on my 
knees and prayed to God that I might 
find you, lieber herr, for you were my 
last hope. 

Myself. — And what do you propose 
to do at present ? 

Benedict. — What can I say, lieber 
herr ? I know not what to do. I will 
be guided in everything by your counsel. 

Myself — I shall remain at Oviedo a 
few days longer, during which time you 
can lodge at this posada, and endeavour 
to recover from the fatigue of your dis- 
astrous journeys ; perhaps before I de- 
part, we may hit on some plan to extri- 
cate you from your present difficulties. 

Oviedo contains about fifteen thou- 
sand inhabitants. It is picturesquely 
situated between two mountains, Mor- 
cin and Naranco; the former is very 
high and rugged, and during the greater 
part of the year is covered with snow ; 
the sides of the latter are cultivated and 
planted with vines. The principal 
ornament of the town is the cathedral, 
the tower of which is exceedingly lofty, 
and is perhaps one of the purest speci- 
mens of Gothic architecture at present 
in existence. The interior of the ca- 
thedral is neat and appropriate, but 
simple and unadorned. I observed but 
one picture, the Conversion of Saint 
Paul. One of the chapels is a cemetery, 
in which rest the bones of eleven Gothic 
kings ; to whose souls be peace. 

I bore a letter of recommendation 
from Coruna to a merchant of Oviedo. 
This person received me very courte- 
ously, and generally devoted some por- 
tion of every day to showing me the 
remarkable things of Oviedo. 

One morning he thus addressed me ; 
" You have doubtless heard of Feijoo, 
the celebrated philosophic monk of the 
order of Saint Benedict, whose writings 
have so much tended to remove the 
popular fallacies and superstitions so 
long cherished in Spain ; he is buried 
in one of our convents, where he passed 



CHAP. XXXIII.] 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



203 



a considerable portion of his life. Come 
with me and I will show you his por- 
trait. Carlos Tercero, our great king, 
sent his own painter from Madrid to 
execute it. It is now in the possession 
of a friend of mine, Don Ramon Valdez, 
an advocate." 

Thereupon he led me to the house of 
Don Ramon Valdez, who very politely 
exhibited the portrait of Feijoo. It 
was circular in shape, about a foot in 
diameter, and was surrounded by a 
little brass frame, something like the 
rim of a barber's basin. The counte- 
nance was large and massive, but fine, 
the eyebrows knit, the eyes sharp and 
penetrating, nose aquiline. On the 
head was a silken skull-cap ; the collar 
of the coat or vest was just perceptible. 
The painting was decidedly good, and 
struck me as being one of the very best 
specimens of modern Spanish art which 
I had hitherto seen. 

A day or two after this I said to Be- 
nedict Mol, " to-morrow T start from 
hence for Santander. It is therefore 
high time that you decide upon some 
course, whether to return to Madrid or 
to make the best of your way to France, 
and from thence proceed to your own 
country." 

" Lieber herr," said Benedict, " I 
will follow you to Santander by short 
journeys, for I am unable to make long 
ones amongst these hills ; and when I 
am there, peradventure I may find some 
means of passing into France. It is a 



great comfort, in my horrible journeys, 
to think that I am travelling over the 
ground which yourself have trodden, 
and to hope that I am proceeding to 
rejoin you once more. This hope kept 
me alive in the bellotas, and with- 
out it I should never have reached 
Oviedo. I will quit Spain as soon as 
possible, and betake me to Lucerne, 
though it is a hard thing to leave the 
schatz behind me in the land of the Gal- 
legans." 

Thereupon I presented him with a 
few dollars. 

" A strange man is this Benedict,'' 
said Antonio to me next morning, as, 
accompanied by a guide, we sallied forth 
from Oviedo ; " a strange man, mon 
inaitre, is this same Benedict. A strange 
life has he led, and a strange death he 
will die, — it is written on his counte- 
nance. That he will leave Spain I do 
not believe, or if he leave it, it will be 
only to return, for he is bewitched 
about this treasure. Last night he sent 
for a sorciere, whom he consulted in 
my presence : and she told him that he 
was doomed to possess it, but that first 
of all he must cross water. She cau- 
tioned him likewise against an enemy, 
which he supposes must be the canon 
of Saint James. I have often heard 
people speak of the avidity of the Swiss 
for money, and here is a proof of it. I 
would not undergo what Benedict has 
suffered in these last journeys of his to 
possess all the treasures in Spain." 



[ 204 1 



CHAPTER XXXIV. 

Departure from Oviedo — Villa Viciosa — The Young Man of the Inn — Antonio's Tale— The 
General and his Family — Woful Tidings — To-morrow we Die— San Vincente — Santander 
— An Harangue — Flinter the Irishman. 



So we left Oviedo and directed our 
course towards Santander. The man 
who accompanied us as guide, and from 
whom I hired the pony on which I 
rode, had been recommended to me by 
my friend the merchant of Oviedo. He 
proved, however, a lazy, indolent fellow; 
he was generally loitering two or three 
hundred yards in our rear, and instead 
of enlivening the way with song and 
tale, like our late guide, Martin of Ri- 
vadeo, he scarcely ever opened his lips, 
save to tell us not to go so fast, or that 
I should burst his pony if I spurred 
him so. He was thievish withal, and 
though he had engaged to make the 
journey seco, that is, to defray the 
charges of himself and beast, he con- 
trived throughout to keep both at our 
expense. When journeying in Spain, 
it is invariably the cheapest plan to 
agree to maintain the guide and his 
horse or mule, for by so doing the hire 
is diminished at least one-third, and 
the bills upon the road are seldom 
increased ; whereas, in the other case, 
he pockets the difference, and yet goes 
shot free, and at the expense of the 
traveller, through the connivance of 
the innkeepers, who have a kind of 
fellow-feeling with the guides. 

Late in the afternoon we reached 
Villa Viciosa, a small dirty town, at 
the distance of eight leagues from 
Oviedo : it stands beside a creek which 
communicates with the Bay of Biscay. 
It is sometimes called La Capital de 
ias Avellanas, or the Capital of the 
Filberts, from the immense quantity of 
this fruit which is grown in the neigh- 
bourhood; and the greatest part of 
which is exported to England. As we 
drew nigh we overtook numerous cars 
laden with avellanas proceeding in the 



direction of the town. I was informed 
that several small English vessels were 
lying in the harbour. Singular as it 
may seem, however, notwithstanding we 
were in the capital of the Avellanas, it 
was with the utmost difficulty that I 
procured a scanty handful for my des- 
sert, and of these more than one half 
were decayed. The people of the house 
informed me that the nuts were in- 
tended for exportation, and that they 
never dreamt either of partaking of 
them themselves or of offering them 
to their guests. 

At an early hour on the following 
day we reached Colunga, a beautiful 
village on a rising ground, thickly 
planted with chestnut trees. It is ce- 
lebrated, at least in the Asturias, as 
being the birthplace of Arguelles, the 
father of the Spanish constitution. 

As we dismounted at the door of the 
posada, where we intended to refresh 
ourselves, a person who was leaning 
out of an upper window uttered an ex- 
clamation and disappeared. We were 
yet at the door, when the same indi- 
vidual came running forth and cast 
himself on the neck of Antonio. He 
was a good-looking young man, appa- 
rently about nve-aiid-twenty, genteelly 
dressed, with a Montero cap on his 
head. Antonio looked at him for a 
moment, and then with an Ah, Mon- 
sieur, est ce Men vous ? shook him affec- 
tionately by the hand. The stranger 
then motioned him to follow him, and 
they forthwith proceeded to the room 
above. 

Wondering what this could mean, I 
sat down to my morning repast. Nearly 
an hour elapsed, and still Antonio did 
not make his appearance ; through the 
boards, however, which composed the 



CHAP. XXXIV.] 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



205 



ceiling of the kitchen where I sat, I 
could hear the voices of himself and 
his acquaintance, and thought that I 
could occasionally distinguish the sound 
of broken sobs and groans ; at last there 
was a long pause. I became impatient, 
and was about to summon Antonio, 
when he made his appearance, but un- 
accompanied by the stranger. " What, 
in the name of all that is singular," 
I demanded, " have you been about ? 
Who is that man ? " " Mon maitre," 
said Antonio, " c'est un monsieur de ma 
connoissance. With your permission I 
will now take a mouthful, and as we 
journey along I will tell you all that I 
know of him." 

"Monsieur," said Antonio, as we 
rode out of Colunga, " you are anxious 
to know the history of the gentleman 
whom you saw embrace me at the inn. 
Know, mon maitre, that these Carlist 
and Christino wars have been the cause 
of much misery and misfortune in this 
country, but a being so thoroughly 
unfortunate as that poor young gentle- 
man of the inn, I do not believe is to be 
found in Spain, and his misfortunes 
proceed entirely from the spirit of party 
and faction which for some time past 
has been so prevalent. 

" Mon maitre, as I have often told 
you, I have lived in many houses and 
served many masters, and it chanced 
that about ten years ago I served the 
father of this gentleman, who was then 
a mere boy. It was a very high fa- 
mily, for monsieur the father was a 
general in the army, and a man of large 
possessions. The family consisted of 
the general, his lady, and two sons ; 
the youngest of whom is the person you 
have just seen, the other was several 
years older. Pardieu! I felt myself 
very comfortable in that house, and 
every individual of the family had all 
kind of complaisance for me. It is 
singular enough, that though I have 
been turned out of so many families, I 
was never turned out of that; and 
though I left it thrice, it was of my own 
free will. I became dissatisfied with 
the other servants, or with the dog or 
the cat. The last time I left was on 
account of the quail which was hung 
out of the window of madame, and 



which waked me in the morning with 
its call. Eh bien, mon maitre, things 
went on in this way during the three 
years that I continued in the family, 
out and in ; at the end of which time 
it was determined that the young gen- 
tleman should travel, and it was pro- 
posed that I should attend him as valet ; 
this I wished very much to do. How- 
ever, par malheur, I was at this time 
very much dissatisfied with madame 
his mother about the quail, and I in- 
sisted that before I accompanied him 
the bird should be slaughtered for the 
kitchen. To this madame would by 
no means consent ; and even the young 
gentleman, who had always taken my 
part on other occasions, said that I was 
unreasonable : so I left the house in a 
huff, and never entered it again. 

" Eh bien, mon maitre, the young 
gentleman went upon his travels, and 
continued abroad several years; and 
from the time of his departure until we 
met him at Colunga, I have not set 
eyes upon, nor indeed heard of him. 
I have heard enough, however, of his 
family ; of monsieur the father, of 
madame, and of the brother, who was 
an officer of cavalry. A short time 
before the troubles, I mean before the 
death of Ferdinand, monsieur the father 
was appointed captain-general of Co- 
run a. Now monsieur, though a good 
master, was rather a proud man, and 
fond of discipline, and all that kind of 
thing, and of obedience. He was, more- 
over, no friend to the populace, to the 
canaille, and he had a particular aver- 
sion to the nationals. So, when Fer- 
dinand died, it was whispered about at 
Coruna that the general was no liberal, 
and that he was a better friend to Carlos 
than Christina. Eh bien, it chanced 
that there was a grand fete, or festival, 
at Coruna, on the water, and the na- 
tionals were there, and the soldiers. 
And I know not how it befell, but there 
was an emeute, and the nationals laid 
hands on monsieur the general, and 
tying a rope round his neck, flung him 
overboard from the barge in which he 
was, and then dragged him astern about 
the harbour until he was drowned. 
They then went to his house, and pil- 
laged it, and so ill-treated madame, ^ho 



*U6 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN, 



I CHAP. XXXIV. 



at that time happened to be enceinte, 
that in a few hours she expired, 

M I tell you what, mon maitre, when 
I heard of the misfortune of madame 
and the general, you would scarcely 
believe it, but I actually shed tears, and 
was sorry that I had parted with them 
in unkindness on account of that per- 
nicious quail. 

" Eh bien, mon maitre, nous poursuiv- 
rons not re histoire. The eldest son, as 
I told you before, was a cavalry officer, 
and a man of resolution, and when he 
heard of the death of his father and 
mother, he vowed revenge. Poor fellow ! 
So what does he do but desert, with two 
or three discontented spirits of his troon, ! 
and going to the frontier of Galicia, he 
raised a small faction, and proclaimed 
Don Carlos. For some little time he did 
considerable damage to the liberals, 
burning and destroying their posses- 
sions, and putting to death several na- 
tionals that fell into his hands. How- 
ever, this did not last long ; his faction 
was soon dispersed, and he himself taken 
and hanged, and his head stuck on a 
pole. 

" IVous sommes de'ja presque an bout. 
When we arrived at the inn, the young 
man took me above, as you saw, and 
there for some time he could do nothing 
but weep and sob. His story is soon 
told: — he returned from his travels, 
and the first intelligence which awaited 
hini on his arrival in Spain was, that 
his father was drowned, his mother 
dead, and his brother hanged, and, 
moreover, all the possessions of his 
family confiscated. This was not all : 
wherever he went, he found himself 
considered in the light of a factious and 
discontented person, and was frequently 
assailed by the nationals with blows of 
sabres and cudgels. He applied to his 
relations, and some of these, wno were 
of the Carlist persuasion, advised him 
to betake himself to the army of Don 
Carlos, and the Pretender himself, who 
was a friend of his father, and remem- 
bered the services of his brother, offered 
to give him a command in his army. 
But, mon maitre, as I told you before, 
he was a pacific young gentleman, and 
as mild as a lamb, and hated the idea 
of shedding blood. He was, moreover, 



not of the Carlist opinion, for during 
his studies he had read books written a 
long time ago by countrymen of mine, 
all about republics and liberties, and 
the rights of man, so that he was much 
more inclined to the liberal than the 
Carlist system; he therefore declined 
the offer of Don Carlos, whereupon all 
his relations deserted him, whilst the 
liberals hunted him from one place to 
another like a wild beast. At last, he 
sold some little property which still 
remained to him, and with the proceeds 
he came to this remote place of Colunga, 
where no one knew him, and where he 
has been residing for several months, 
m a most melancholy manner, with no 
other amusement than that which he 
derives from a book or two. or occa- 
sionally hunting a leveret with his 
spaniel 

" He asked me for counsel, but I had 
none to give him, and could only weep 
with Mm. At last he said, ' Dear An- 
tonio, I see there is no remedy. You 
say your master is below, beg him, I 
pray, to stay till to-morrow, and we 
will send for. the maidens of the neigh- 
bourhood, and for a violin and a bagpipe, 
and we will dance and cast away care 
for a moment/ And then he said some- 
thing in old Greek, which I scarcely 
understood, but which I think was 
equivalent to, ' Let us eat, drink, and 
be merry, for to-morrow we die V 

" Eh Men, mon maitre, I told him 
that you were a serious gentleman, who 
never took any amusement, and that 
you were in a hurry. Whereupon he 
wept again, and embraced me, and bade 
me farewell. And now, mon maitre, I 
have told you the history of the young 
man of the inn." 

We slept at Ribida de Sella, and the 
next dav at noon arrived at Llanes. 
Our route lay between the coast and an 
immense range of mountains, which 
rose up like huge ramparts at about a 
league's distance from the sea. The 
ground over which we passed was 
tolerably level, and seemingly well cul 
tivated. There was no lack of vines 
and trees, whilst at short intervals rose 
the cortijos of the proprietors — square 
stone buildings surrounded with an 
outer wall. Llanes is an old town, for- 



CHAP. XXXtV.] 

merly of considerable strength. In its 
neighbourhood is the convent of San 
Cilorio, one of the largest monastic 
edifices in all Spain. It is now de- 
serted, and stands alone and desolate 
upon one of the peninsulas of the Can- 
tabrian shore. Leaving Llanes, we 
soon entered one of the most dreary 
and barren regions imaginable, a region 
of rock and stone, where neither grass 
nor trees were to be seen. Night over- 
took us in these places. We wandered 
on, however, until we reached a small 
village, termed Santo Colombo. Here 
we passed the night, in the house of a 
carabineer of the revenue, a tall athletic 
figure, who met us at the gate, armed 
with a gun. He was a Castilian, and 
with all that ceremonious formality and 
grave politeness for which his country- 
men were at one time so celebrated. 
He chid his wife for conversing with 
her handmaid about the concerns of the 
house before us. " Barbara," said he, 
" this is not conversation calculated to 
interest the strange cavaliers ; hold 
your peace, or go aside with the mu- 
chacha." In the morning he refused 
any remuneration for his hospitality. 
" I am a caballero," said he, " even as 
yourselves. It is not my custom to ad- 
mit people into my house for the sake 
of lucre. I received you because you 
were benighted and the posada distant." 

Rising early in the morning, we pur- 
sued our way through a country equally 
stony and dreary as that which we had 
entered upon the preceding day. In 
about four hours we reached San Vin- 
cente, a large dilapidated town, chiefly 
inhabited by miserable fishermen. It 
retains, however, many remarkable re- 
lics of former magnificence : the bridge, 
which bestrides the broad and deep 
firth on which stands the town, has no 
less than thirty-two arches, and is built 
of grey granite. It is very ancient, and 
in some part in so ruinous a condition 
as to be dangerous. 

Leaving San Vincente behind us, we 
travelled for some leagues on the sea- 
shore, crossing occasionally a narrow 
inlet or firth. The country at last 
began to improve, and in the neigh- 
bourhood of Santillana was both beau- 
tiful and fertile. About a league before 



£0/ 



we reached the country of Gil Bias we 
passed through an extensive wood, in 
which were rocks and precipices ; it 
was exactly such a place as that in 
which the cave of Rolando was situated, 
as described in the novel. This wood 
has an evil name, and our guide in- 
formed us that robberies were occasion- 
ally committed in it. No adventure, 
however, befell us, and we reached San- 
tillana at about six in the evening. 

We did not enter the town, but halted 
at a large venta, or posada, at the en- 
trance before which stood an immense 
ash-tree. We had scarcely housed our- 
selves when a tremendous storm of rain 
and wind commenced, accompanied with 
thunder and lightning, which continued 
without much interruption for several 
hours, and the effects of which were 
visible in our journey of the following 
day, the streams over which we passed 
being much swollen, and several trees 
lying uptorn by the wayside. Santil- 
lana contains four thousand inhabitants, 
and is six short leagues' distance from 
Santander, where we arrived early the 
next day. 

Nothing could exhibit a stronger con- 
trast to the desolate tracts and the half- 
ruined towns through which we had 
lately passed, than the bustle and ac- 
tivity of Santander, which, though it 
stands on the confines of the Basque 
provinces, the stronghold of the Pre- 
tender, is almost the only city in Spain 
which has not suffered by the Carlist 
wars. Till the close of the last century 
it was little better than an obscure fish- 
ing town, but it has of late years almost 
entirely engrossed the commerce of the 
Spanish transatlantic possessions, espe- 
cially of the Havannah. The conse- 
quence of which has been, that whilst 
Santander has rapidly increased in 
wealth and magnificence, both Coruria 
and Cadiz have been as rapidly hasten- 
ing to decay. At present it possesses a 
noble quay, on which stands a line of 
stately edifices, far exceeding in splen- 
dour the palaces of the aristocracy of 
Madrid. These are built in the French 
style, and are chiefly occupied by the 
merchants. The population of San- 
tander is estimated at sixty thousand 
souls, 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



208 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



[chap. XXXIV, 



On the day of iny arrival I dined at 
the table-d'hote of the principal inn, 
kept by a Genoese. The company was 
very miscellaneous — French, Germans, 
and Spaniards, all speaking in their 
respective languages, whilst at the ends 
of the table, confronting each other, sat 
two Catalan merchants, one of whom 
weighed nearly twenty stone, grunting 
across the board in their harsh dialect. 
Long, however, before dinner was con- 
cluded the conversation was entirely 
engrossed and the attention of all pre- 
sent directed to an individual who sat 
on one side of the bulky Catalan. He 
was a '.'thin man of about the middle 
height, with a remarkably red face, 
and something in his eyes which, if not 
a squint, bore a striking resemblance to 
it. He was dressed in a blue military 
frock, and seemed to take much more 
pleasure in haranguing than in the fare 
which was set before him. He spoke 
perfectly good Spanish, yet his voice 
betrayed something of a foreign accent. 
For a long time he descanted with im- 
mense volubility on war and all its 
circumstances, freely criticising the con- 
duct of the generals, both Caiiist and 
Christinos, in the present struggle, till 
at last he exclaimed, " Had I but twenty 
thousand men allowed me by the go- 
vernment, I would bring the war to a 
cod elusion in six months." 

* ; Pardon me, Sir," said a Spaniard 
who sat at. the table, " the curiosity 
^ hich induces me to request the favour 
of your distinguished name." 

" I am Flinter," replied the indi- 
vidual in the military frock, " a name 
which is in the mouth of every man, 
woman, and child in Spain. I am I 
Flinter the Irishman, just escaped from 
the Basque provinces and the claws of 
Don Carlos. On the decease of Fer- 
dinand, I declared for Isabella, esteem- 
ing it the duty of every good cavalier 
and Irishman in the Spanish service to 
do so. You have all heard of my ex- 
ploits, and permit me to tell you they 
would have been yet more glorious had 
not jealousy been at work and cramped 
my means. Two years ago I was de- 
spatched to Estremadura, to organise 
the militias. The bands of Gomez and 
Cabrera entered the province, and spread 



devastation around. They found me, 
however, at my post ; and had I been 
properly seconded by those under my 
command, the two rebels would never 
have returned to their master to boast 
of their success. I stood behind my 
intrenchments. A man advanced and 
summoned us to surrender. * Who are 
you ?' I demanded. * I am Cabrera/ 
he replied ; ' and I am Flinter/ I re- 
torted, flourishing my sabre ; 6 retire 
to your battalions, or you will forthwith 
die the death/ He was awed, and did 
as I commanded. In an hour we 
surrendered. I was led a prisoner to 
the Basque provinces ; and the Carlists 
rejoiced in the capture they had made, 
for the name of Flinter had long sounded 
amongst the Carlist ranks. I was flung 
into a loathsome dungeon, where I re- 
mained twenty months. I was cold ; 
I was naked ; but I did not on that 
account despond — my spirit was too 
indomitable for such weakness. My 
keeper at last pitied my misfortunes. 
He said that i it grieved him to see so 
valiant a man perish in inglorious con- 
finement.' We laid a plan to escape 
together ; disguises were provided, and 
we made the attempt. We passed un- 
observed till we arrived at the Caiiist 
lines above Bilbao : there we were 
stopped. My presence of mind, how- 
ever, did not desert me. I was disguised 
as a carman, as a Catalan, and the 
coolness of my answers deceived my 
interrogators. We were permitted to 
pass, and soon were safe within the 
walls of Bilbao. There was an illu- 
mination that night in the town, for the 
lion had burst his toils, Flinter had 
escaped, and was once more returned 
to reanimate a drooping cause. I have 
just arrived at Santancler, on my way 
to Madrid, where I intend to ask of 
the government a command, with twenty 
thousand men." 

Poor Flinter ! a braver heart and a 
more gasconading mouth were surely 
never united in the same body. He 
proceeded to Madrid, and through the 
influence of the British ambassador, 
who was his friend, he obtained the 
command of a small division, with 
which he contrived to surprise and de- 
feat, in the neighbourhood of Toledo, a 



CHAP. XXXIV.] 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



209 



body of the Carlists, commanded by 
Orejita, whose numbers more than tre- 
bled his own. In reward for this ex- 
ploit he was persecuted by the govern- 
ment, which, at that time, was the 
moderado or juste milieu, with the most 
relentless animosity • the prime minis- 
ter, Ofalia, supporting with all his in- 
fluence numerous and ridiculous accu- 
sations of plunder and robbery brought 
against the too successful general by 
the Carlist canons of Toledo. He was 
likewise charged with a dereliction of 
duty, in having permitted, after the 
battle of Valdepenas, which he likewise 
won in the most gallant manner, the 
Carlist force to take possession of the 
mines of Almaden, although the govern- 
ment, who were bent on his ruin, had 



done all in their power to prevent him 
from following up his successes, by 
denying him the slightest supplies and 
reinforcements. The fruits of victory 
thus wrested from him, his hopes 
blighted, a morbid melancholy seized 
upon the Irishman ; he resigned his 
command, and, in less than ten months 
from the period when I saw him at 
Santander, afforded his dastardly and 
malignant enemies a triumph which 
satisfied even them, by cutting his own 
throat with a razor. 

Ardent spirits of foreign climes, who 
hope to distinguish yourselves in the 
service of Spain, and to earn honours 
and rewards, remember the fate of Co- 
lumbus, and of another as brave and aa 
ardent — Flinter I 



[ 210 ] 



1 



CHAPTER XXXV. 



Departure from Santander — The Night Alarm- — The Black Pass. 



I had ordered two hundred Testaments I 
to be sent to Santander from Madrid : | 
I found, however, to my great sorrow, ] 
that they had not arrived, and I sup- | 
posed that they had either been seized 
on the way by the Carlists, or that my 
Iar ter had miscarried. I then thought 
of applying to England for a supply, 
but I abandoned the idea for two rea- 
sons. In the first place, I should have 
to remain idly loitering, at least a 
month, before I could receive them, at 
a place where every article was exces- 
sively dear ; and, secondly, I was very 
unwell, and unable to procure medical 
advice at Santander. Ever since I left 
Coruna, I had been afflicted with a ter- 
rible dysentery, and latterly wuth an 
ophthalmia, the result of the other ma- 
lady. I therefore determined on re- 
turning to Madrid. To effect this, 
however, seemed no very easy task. 
Parties of the army of Don Carlos, 
which, in a partial degree, had been 
routed in Castile, were hovering about 
the country through which T should 
have to pass, more especially in that 
part called " The Mountains," so that 
all communication had ceased between 
Santander and the southern districts. 
Nevertheless, I determined to trust as 
usual in the Almighty, and to risk 
the danger. I purchased, therefore, a 
small horse, and sallied forth with An- 
tonio. 

Before departing, however, I entered 
into conference with the booksellers as 
to what they should do in the event of 
my finding an opportunity of sending 
them a stock of Testaments from Ma- 
drid. ; and, having arranged matters to 
my satisfaction, I committed myself to 
Providence. I will not dwell long on 
this journey of three hundred miles. 
We were in the midst of the fire, yet, 



I strange to say, escaped without a hair 
I of our heads being singed. Robberies, 
] murders, and all kinds of atrocities 
| were perpetrated before, behind, and on 
both sides of us, but not so much as a 
dog barked at us, though in one instance 
a plan had been laid to intercept us. 
About four leagues from Santander, 
whilst we were baiting our horses at a 
village hostelry, I saw a fellow run off 
after having held a whispering conver- 
sation with a boy who was dealing out 
barley to us. I instantly inquired of 
the latter what the man had said to 
him, but only obtained an evasive an- 
swer. It appeared afterwards that the 
conversation was about ourselves. Two 
or three leagues farther there was an 
inn and village where we had proposed 
staying, and indeed had expressed our 
intention of doing so ; but on arriving 
there, finding that the sun was still far 
from its bourne, I determined to proceed 
farther, expecting to meet with a rest- 
ing place at the distance of a league ; 
though I was mistaken, as we found 
none until we reached Montaneda, nine 
leagues and a half from Santander, 
where was stationed a small detach- 
ment of soldiers. At the dead of night, 
we were aroused from our sleep by a 
cry that the factious were not far off. 
A messenger had arrived from the al- 
calde of the village where we had pre- 
viously intended staying, who stated 
that a party of Carlists had just sur- 
prised that place, and were searching 
for an English spy, whom they sup- 
posed to be at the inn. The officer 
commanding the soldiers, upon hearing 
this, not deeming his own situation a 
safe one, instantly drew off his men, 
falling back on a stronger party sta- 
tioned in a fortified village near at hand. 
As for ourselves, we saddled oar horses 



CHAP. XXXV.J 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



211 



and continued our way in the dark. 
Had the Carlists succeeded in appre- 
hending me, I should instantly have 
been shot, and my body cast on the 
rocks to feed the vultures and wolves. 
But " it was not so written," said An- 
tonio, who, like many of his country- 
men, was a fatalist. The next night 
we had another singular escape: we 
had arrived near the entrance of a hor- 
rible pass called " El puerto de la pu- 
ente de las tablas," or the pass of the 
bridge of planks, which wound through 
a black and frightful mountain, on the 
farther side of which was the town of 
Onas, where we meant to tarry for the 
night. The sun had set about a quarter 
of an hour. Suddenly a man, with his 
face covered with blood, rushed out of 
the pass. " Turn back, Sir," he said, 
" in the name of God ; there are mur- 
derers in that pass; they have just 
robbed me of my mule, and all I pos- 
sess, and I have hardly escaped with 
life from their hands." I scarcely know 
why, but I made him no answer, and 
proceeded ; indeed I was so weary and 
unwell that I cared not what became of 
me. We entered ; the rocks rose per- 



pendicularly, right and left, entirely in- 
tercepting the scanty twilight, so that 
the darkness of the grave, or rather the 
blackness of the valley of the shadow 
of death, reigned around us, and we 
knew not where we went, but trusted 
to the instinct of the horses, who moved 
on with their heads close to the ground. 
The only sound which we heard was 
the plash of a stream, which tumbled 
down the pass. I expected every mo- 
ment to feel a knife at my throat, but 
" it was not so written." We threaded 
the pass without meeting a human being, 
and within three quarters of an hour 
after the time we entered it, we found 
ourselves within the posada of the town 
of Onas, which was filled with troops 
and armed peasants expecting an attack 
from the grand Carlist army, which 
was near at hand. 

Well, we reached Burgos in safety ; 
we reached Valladolid in safety; we 
passed the Guadarama in safety ; and 
were at length safely housed in Madrid. 
People said we had been very lucky ; 
Antonio said, " It was so written ;" but 
I say, Glory be to the Lord for his 
mercies vouchsafed to us. 



[ 212 J 



CHAPTER XXXVI. 

tate of . jiflairs at Madrid— The New Ministry— Pope of Rome— The Bookseller of Toledo— 
Sword-blades — Houses of Toledo — The Forlorn Gypsy — Proceedings at Madrid— Another 
Servant. 



During my journey in the northern 
provinces of Spain, which occupied a 
considerable portion of the year 1837, 
I had accomplished but a slight portion 
of what I proposed to myself to effect 
in the outset. Insignificant are the re- 
sults of man's labours compared with 
the swelling ideas of his presumption ; 
something, however, had been effected 
by the journey which I had just con- 
cluded. The New Testament of Christ 
was now enjoying a quiet sale in the 
principal towns of the north, and I had 
secured the friendly interest and co- 
operation of the booksellers of those 
parts, particularly of him the most con- 
siderable of them all, old Key of Com- 
postella. I had, moreover, disposed of 
a considerable number of Testaments 
with my own hands, to private indivi- 
duals,* entirely of the lower classes, 
namely, muleteers, carmen, contraban- 
distas, &c, so that upon the whole I 
had abundant cause for gratitude and 
thanksgiving. 

I did not find our affairs in a very 
prosperous state at Madrid, few copies 
having been sold in the booksellers' 
shops ; yet what could be rationally ex- 
pected during these latter times ? Don 
Carlos, with a large army, had been at 
the gates; plunder and massacre had 
been expected ; so that people were too 
much occupied in forming plans to se- 
cure their lives and property to give 
much attention to reading of any de- 
scription. * 

The enemy, however, had now re- 
tired to his strongholds in Alava and 
Guipuscoa. I hoped that brighter days 
were dawning, and that the work, under 
my own superintendence, would, with 
God's blessing, prosper in the capital 



of Spain. How far the result corre- 
sponded with my expectations will be 
seen in the sequel. 

During my absence in the north, a 
total change of ministers had occurred. 
The liberal party had been ousted from 
the cabinet, and in their place had en- 
tered individuals attached to the mo- 
derado or court party: unfortunately, 
however, for my prospects, they con- 
sisted of persons with whom I had no 
acquaintance whatever, and with whom 
my former friends, Galiano and Istu- 
ritz, had little or no influence. These 
gentlemen were now regularly laid on 
the shelf, and their political career ap- 
peared to be terminated for ever. 

From the present ministry I could 
expect but little ; they consisted of men 
the greater part of whom had been 
either courtiers or employes of the de- 
ceased King Ferdinand, who were 
friends to absolutism, and by no means 
inclined to do or to favour anything 
calculated to give offence to the court 
of Eome, which they were anxious to 
conciliate, hoping that eventually it 
might be induced to recognise the young 
queen, not as the constitutional but as 
the absolute Queen Isabella the Second. 

Such was the party which continued 
in power throughout the remainder of 
my sojourn in Spain, and which perse- 
cuted me less from rancour and malice 
than from policy. It was not until the 
conclusion of the war of the succession 
that it lost the ascendancy, when it 
sank to the ground with its patroness 
the queen-mother, before the dictator- 
ship of Espartero. 

The first step which I took after my 
return to Madrid, towards circulating 
the Scriptures, was a very bold one. It 



CHAP. XXXVI. j 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



213 



was neither more nor less than the esta- 
blishment of a shop for the sale of Tes- 
taments. This shop was situated in the 
Calle del Principe, a respectable and 
well-frequented street in the neighbour- 
hood of the Square of Cervantes. I 
furnished it handsomely with glass 
cases and chandeliers, and procured an 
acute Gallegan of the name of Pepe 
Calzado, to superintend the business, 
who gave me weekly a faithful account 
of the copies sold. 

" How strangely times alter," said I, 
the second day subsequent to the open- 
ing of my establishment, as I stood on 
the opposite side of the street, leaning 
against the wall with folded arms, sur- 
veying my shop, on the windows of 
which were painted in large yellow 
characters, Despacho de la Sociedad 
Biblica y Estrangera ; " how strangely 
times alter; here have I been during: 
the last eight months running about old 
Popish Spain, distributing Testaments, 
as agent of what the Papists call an 
heretical society, and have neither been 
stoned nor burnt ; and here am I now 
in the capital, doing that which one 
would think were enough to cause all 
the dead inquisitors and officials buried 
within the circuit of the walls to rise 
from their graves and cry abomination ; 
and yet no one interferes with me. Pope 
of Rome ! Pope of Rome ! look to thy- 
self. That shop may be closed ; but oh ! 
what a sign of the times, that it has been 
permitted to exist for one day. It appears 
to me, my Father, that the days of 
your sway are numbered in Spain r that 
you will not be permitted much longer 
to plunder her, to scoff at her, and to 
scourge her with scorpions, as in by- 
gone periods. See I not the hand on 
the wall ? See I not in yonder letters a 
" Mene, Mene, Tekel, Upharsin' ? Look 
to thyself, Batuschca." 

And I remained for two hours, lean- 
ing against the wall, staring at the 
shop. 

A short time, after the establishment 
of the despacho at Madrid, I once more 
mounted the saddle, and, attended by 
Antonio, rode over to Toledo, for the 
purpose of circulating the Scriptures, 
sending beforehand by a muleteer a 
cargo of one hundred Testaments. I 



instantly addressed myself to the prin- 
cipal bookseller of the place, whom 
from the circumstance of his living in 
a town so abounding with canons, priests, 
and ex-friars, as Toledo, I expected to 
find a Carlist, or a servile at least. I 
was never more mistaken in my life : 
on entering the shop, which was very 
large and commodious, I beheld a stout 
athletic man, dressed in a kind of ca- 
valry uniform, with a helmet on his 
head, and an immense sabre in his 
hand : this was the bookseller himself, 
who, I soon found, was an officer in the 
national cavalry. Upon learning who 
T was, he shook me heartily by the 
hand, and said that nothing would give 
him greater pleasure than taking charge 
of the books, which he would endeavour 
to circulate to the utmost of his ability. 

" Will not your doing so bring you 
into odium with the clergy ?" 

" Ca !" said he ; " who cares ? I am 
rich, and so was my father before me. 
I do not depend on them ; they cannot 
hate me more than they do already, for 
I make no secret of my opinions. I 
have just returned from an expedition," 
said he; "my brother nationals and 
myself have, for the last three days, 
been occupied in hunting down the fac- 
tious and thieves of the neighbourhood ; 
we have killed three and brought in 
several prisoners. Who cares for the 
cowardly priests ? I am a liberal, Don 
Jorge, and a friend of your country- 
man, Flinter. Many is the Carlist 
guerilla-curate and robber-friar whom 
I have assisted him to catch. I am re- 
joiced to hear that he has just been ap- 
pointed captain-general of Toledo ; there 
will be fine doings here when he ar- 
rives, Don Jorge. We will make the 
clergy shake between us, I assure you." 

Toledo was formerly the capital of 
Spain. Its population at present is 
barely fifteen thousand souls, though, in 
the time of the Romans, and also dur- 
ing the middle ages, it is said to have 
amounted to between two and three 
hundred thousand. It is situated about 
twelve leagues (forty miles) westward 
of Madrid, and is built upon a steep 
rocky hill, round which flows the 
Tagus, on all sides but the north. It 
still possesses a great many remarkable 



214 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



[chap. XXXVI. 



edifices, notwithstanding that it has 
long since fallen into decay. Its cathe- 
dral is the most magnificent of Spain, 
and is the see of the primate. In the 
tower of this cathedral is the famous 
bell of Toledo, the largest in the world 
with the exception of the monster bell 
of Moscow, which I have also seen. It 
weighs 1543 arrobes, or 37,032 pounds. 
It has, however, a disagreeable sound, 
owing to a cleft in its side. Toledo 
could once boast the finest pictures in 
Spain, but many were stolen or de- 
stroyed by the French during the Pen- 
insular war, and still more have lately 
been removed by order of the govern- 
ment. Perhaps the most remarkable 
one still remains ; I allude to that which 
represents the burial of the Count of 
Orgaz, the masterpiece of Domenico, 
the Greek, a most extraordinary genius, 
some of whose productions possess me- 
rit of a very high order. The picture 
in question is in the little parish church 
of San Tome, at the bottom of the aisle, 
on the left side of the altar. Could it 
be purchased, I should say it would be 
cheap at five thousand pounds. 

Amongst the many remarkable things 
which meet the eye of the curious ob- 
server at Toledo, is the manufactory of 
arms, where are wrought the swords, 
spears, and other weapons intended for 
the army, with the exception of fire- 
arms, which mostly come from abroad. 

In old times, as is well known, the 
sword-blades of Toledo were held in 
great estimation, and were transmitted 
as merchandise throughout Christen- 
dom. The present manufactory, or 
fabrica, as it is called, is a handsome 
modern edifice, situated without the 
wall of the city, on a plain contiguous 
to the river, with which it communi- 
cates by a small canal. It is said that 
the water and the sand of the Tagus 
are essential for the proper tempering 
of the swords. I asked some of the 
principal workmen whether, at the pre- 
sent day, they could manufacture wea- 
pons of equal value to those of former 
days, and whether the secret had been 
lost. 

" Ca!" said they, " the swords of 
Toledo were never so good as those 
which we are daily making. It is m • 



diculous enough to see strangers com- 
ing here to purchase old swords, the 
greater part of which are mere rubbish, 
and never made at Toledo, yet for such 
they will give a large price, whilst they 
would grudge two dollars for this jewel, 
which was made but yesterday there- 
upon putting into my hand a middle- 
sized rapier. " Your worship," said 
they, " seems to have a strong arm, 
prove its temper against the stone wall. 
— thrust boldly and fear not." 

I have a strong ami, and dashed the 
point with my utmost force against the 
solid granite : my arm was numbed to 
the shoulder from the violence of the 
concussion, and continued so for nearly 
a week, but the sword appeared not to 
be at all blunted, or to have suffered in 
any respect. 

" A better sword than that," said an 
ancient workman, a native of Old Cas- 
tile, " never transfixed Moor out yon- 
der on the sagra." 

During my stay at Toledo, I lodged 
at the Posada de los Caballeros, which 
signifies the inn of the gentlemen, which 
name, in some respects, it certainly well 
deserved, for there are many palaces 
far less magnificent than this inn of 
Toledo. By magnificence it must not 
be supposed, however, that I allude to 
costliness of furniture, or any kind of 
luxury which pervaded the culinary 
department. The rooms were as empty 
as those of Spanish inns generally are, 
and the fare, though good in its kind, 
was plain and homely ; but I have sel- 
dom seen a more imposing edifice. It 
was of immense size, consisting of seve- 
ral stories, and was built something in 
the Moorish taste, with a quadrangular 
court in the centre, beneath which was 
an immense algibe or tank, serving as a 
reservoir for rain-water. All the houses 
in Toledo are supplied with tanks of 
this description, into which the waters 
in the rainy season now from the roofs 
through pipes. No other water is used 
for drinking ; that of the Tagus, not 
being considered salubrious, is only 
used for purposes of cleanliness, being 
conveyed up the steep narrow streets on 
donkeys, in large stone jars. The city, 
standing on a rocky mountain, has no 
wells. As for the rain-water, it deposits 



CHAP. XXXVI.J 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



215 



a sediment in the tank, and becomes 
very sweet and potable : these tanks are 
cleaned out twice every year. During 
the summer, at which time the heat in 
this part of Spain is intense, the families 
spend the greater part of the day in 
the courts, which are overhung with a 
linen awning, the heat of the atmo- 
sphere being tempered by the coolness 
arising from the tank below, which 
answers the same purpose as the foun- 
tain in the southern provinces of Spain. 

I spent about a week at Toledo, dur- 
ing which time several copies of the 
Testament were disposed of in the shop 
of my friend the bookseller. Several 
priests took it up from the mostrador on 
which it lay, examined it, but made no 
remarks; none of them purchased it. 
My friend showed me through his 
house, almost every apartment of which 
was lined from roof to floor with books, 
many of which were highly valuable. 
He told me that he possessed the best 
collection in Spain of the ancient litera- 
ture of the country. He was, however, 
less proud of his library than his stud ; 
finding that I had some acquaintance 
with horses, his liking for me and also 
his respect considerably increased. "All 
I have," said he, " is at your service ; 
I see you are a man after my own heart. 
When you are disposed to ride out upon 
the sagra, you have only to apply to my 
groom, who will forthwith saddle you 
my famed Cordovese entero; I pur- 
chased him from the stables at Aranjuez, 
when the royal stud was broken up. 
There is but one other man to whom I 
would lend him, and that man is 
Flinter." 

At Toledo I met with a forlorn Gypsy 
woman and her son, a lad of about 
fourteen years of age; she was not a 
native of the place, but had come from 
La Mancha, her husband having been 
cast into the prison of Toledo on a 
charge of mule-stealing : the crime had 
been proved against him, and in a few 
days he was to depart for Malaga, with 
the chain of galley-slaves. He was 
quite destitute of money, and his wife 
was now in Toledo, earning a few 
cuartos by telling fortunes about the 
streets, to support him in prison. She 
told me that it was her intention to fol- 



low him to Malaga, where she hoped to 
be able to effect his escape. What an 
instance of conjugal affection ! and yet 
the affection here was all on one side, 
as is too frequently the case. Her hus- 
band was a worthless scoundrel, who 
had previously abandoned her and be- 
taken himself to Madrid, where he had 
long lived in concubinage with the no- 
torious she-thug Aurora, at whose in- 
stigation he had committed the robbery 
for which he was now held in durance. 
" Should your husband escape from Ma- 
laga, in what direction will he fly?" 
I demanded. 

" To the chim of the Corahai, my 
son ; to the land of the Moors, to be a 
soldier of the Moorish king." 

" And w T hat w r ill become of yourself?" 
I inquired ; " think you that he will 
take you with him ? " 

" He will leave me on the shore, my 
son, and as soon as he has crossed the 
black pawnee, he will forget me and 
never think of me more." 

" And knowing his ingratitude, why 
should you give yourself so much 
trouble about him ? " 

" Am I not his romi, my son ; and 
am I not bound by the law of the Cales 
to assist him to the last ? Should he 
return from the land of the Corahai at 
the end of a hundred years, and should 
find me alive, and should say, I am 
hungry, little wife, go forth and steal 
or tell bahi, I must do it, for he is the 
rom and I the romi." 

On my return to Madrid, I found the 
despacho still open : various Testaments 
had been sold, though the number was 
by no means considerable : the work 
had to labour under great disadvantage, 
from the ignorance of the people at 
large with respect to its tenor and con- 
tents. It was no wonder, then, that 
little interest was felt respecting it. To 
call, however, public attention to the 
despacho, I printed three thousand ad- 
vertisements on paper, yellow, blue, 
and crimson, with which I almost 
covered the sides of the streets, and, 
besides this, inserted an account of it in 
all the journals and periodicals: the 
consequence was, that in a short time 
almost every person in Madrid was 
aware of its existence. Such exertions 



216 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



[Chap, xxxv r. 



in London or Paris would probably have 
ensured the sale of the entire edition of 
the New Testament within a few days. 
In Madrid, however, the result was not 
quite so flattering ; for after the esta- 
blishment had been open an entire 
month, the copies disposed of barely 
amounted to one hundred. 

These proceedings of mine did not fail 
to cause a great sensation : the priests and 
their partisans were teeming with malice 
and fury, which, for some time, how- 
ever, they thought proper to exhibit 
only in words ; it being their opinion 
that I was favoured by the ambassador 
and by the British government ; but 
there was no attempt, however atro- 
cious, that might not be expected from 
their malignity ; and were it right and 
seemly for me, the most insignificant of 
worms, to make such a comparison, I 
might say, like Paul at Ephesus, I was 
fighting with wild beasts. 

On the last day of the year 1837, my 
servant Antonio thus addressed me :— 



" Mon maitre, it is necessary that I 
leave you for a time. Ever 1 since we 
have returned from our journeys, I have 
become unsettled and dissatisfied with 
the house, the furniture, and with 
Donna Marequita. I have therefore 
engaged myself as cook in the house of 
the Count of * * * * *, where I am to 
receive four dollars per month less than 
what your worship gives me. I am 
fond of change, though it be for the 
worse. Adieu, mon maitre, may you 
be as well served as you deserve ; should 
you chance, however, to have any 
pressing need de mes soins, send for me 
without hesitation, and I will at once 
give my new master warning, if I am 
still with him, and come to you." 

Thus was I deprived for a time of 
the services of Antonio. I continued 
for a few days without a domestic, at 
the end of which time I hired a certain 
Cantabrian or Basque, a native of the 
village of Hernani, in Guipuscoa, who 
was strongly recommended to me. 



I 217 



CHAPTER XXXVIL 



Euscarra —Basque not Irish — Sanscrit and Tartar Dialects — A Vowel Language — Popuh 
Poetry — The Basques — Their Persons — Basque Women. 



I now entered upon the year 1838, 
perhaps the most eventful of all those 
which I passed in Spain. The despa- 
cho still continued open, with a some- 
what increasing sale. Having at this 
time little of particular moment with 
which to occupy myself, I committed to 
the press two works, which for some 
time past had been in the course of pre- 
paration. 'These were the Gospel of 
St. Luke in the Spanish Gypsy and the 
Euscarra languages. 

With respect to the Gypsy Gospel, I 
have little to say, having already spoken 
of it in a former work (The Zincali) ; it 
was translated by myself, together with 
the greater part of the New Testament, 
during my long intercourse with the 
Spanish Gypsies. Concerning the Luke 
in Euscarra, however, it will be as well 
to be more particular, and to avail my- 
self of the present opportunity to say a 
few words concerning the language in 
which it was written, and the people for 
whom it was intended. 

The Euscarra, then, is the proper term 
for a certain ^speech or language, sup- 
posed to have been at one prevalent 
throughout Spain, but which is at pre- 
sent confined to certain districts, both 
on the French and Spanish side of the 
Pyrenees, which are laved by the waters 
of the Cantabrian Gulf, or Bay of Bis- 
cay. This language is commonly known 
as the Basque, or Biscayan, which 
words are mere modifications of the 
word Euscarra, the consonant B having 
been prefixed for the sake of euphony. 
Much that is vague, erroneous, and 
hypothetical has been said and written 
concerning this tongue. The Basques 
assert that it was not only the original 
language of Spain, but also of the world, 
and that from it all other languages are 



derived; but the Basques are a very 
ignorant people, and know nothing of 
the philosophy of language. Very little 
importance, therefore, need be attached 
to any opinion of theirs on such a sub- 
ject. A few amongst them, however, 
who affect some degree of learning, 
contend that it is neither more nor less 
than a dialect of the Phenician, and 
that the Basques are the descendants of 
a Phenician colony, established at the 
foot of the Pyrenees at a very remote 
period. Of this theory, or rather con- 
jecture, as it is unsubstantiated by the 
slightest proof, it is needless to take 
further notice than to observe that, pro- 
vided the Phenician language, as many 
of the truly learned have supposed, and 
almost proved, was a dialect of the 
Hebrew, or closely allied to it, it were 
as unreasonable to suppose that the 
Basque is derived from it as that the 
Kamschatdale and Cherokee are dialects 
of the Greek or Latin. 

There is, however, another opinion 
with respect to the Basque which de- 
serves more especial notice, from the 
circumstance of its being extensively 
entertained amongst the literati of va- 
rious countries of Europe, more espe- 
cially England. I allude to the Celtic 
origin of this tongue, and its close con- 
nexion with the most cultivated of all 
the Celtic dialects — the Irish. People 
who pretend to be well conversant with 
the subject, have even gone so far as to 
assert, that so little difference exists 
between the Basque and Irish tongues, 
that individuals of the two nations, 
when they meet together, find no diffi- 
culty in understanding each other, with 
no other means of communication than 
their respective languages ; in a word, 
that there is scarcely a greater differ* 



218 THE BIBLE 



ence between the two than between 
the French and the Spanish Basque. 
Such similarity, however, though so 
strongly insisted upon, by no means 
exists in fact ; and perhaps in the whole 
of Europe it would be difficult to dis- 
cover two languages which exhibit 
fewer points of mutual resemblance 
than the Basque and Irish. 

The Irish, like most other European 
languages, is a dialect of the Sanscrit, 
a remote one, as may well be supposed ; 
the corner of the western world in 
which it is still preserved being, of all 
countries in Europe, the most distant 
from the proper home of the parent 
tongue. It is still, however, a dialect 
of that venerable and most original 
speech, not so closely resembling it, it 
is true, as the English, Danish, and 
those which belong to what is called 
the Gothic family, and far less than 
those of the Sclavonian ; for the nearer 
we approach to the East, in equal de- 
gree the assimilation of languages to 
this parent stock becomes more clear 
and distinct ; but still a dialect, agree- 
ing with the Sanscrit in structure, in 
the arrangement of words, and in many 
instances in the words themselves, 
which, however modified, may still be 
recognised as Sanscrit. But what is 
the Basque, and to what family does it 
properly pertain ? 

To two great Asiatic languages all 
the dialects spoken at present in Europe 
may be traced. These two, if not now 
spoken, still, exist in books, and are, 
moreover, the languages of two of the 
principal religions of the East. I allude 
to the Tibetian and Sanscrit — the sa- 
cred languages of the followers of 
Buddh and Bramah. These tongues, 
though they possess many words in 
common, which is easily to be accounted 
for by their close proximity, are pro- 
perly distinct, being widely different in 
structure. In what this difference con- 
sists, I have neither time nor inclination 
to state ; suffice it to say, that the Celtic, 
Gothic, and Sclavonian dialects in Eu- 
rope belong to the Sanscrit family, even 
as in the East the Persian, and to a less 
degree the Arabic, Hebrew, &e. ; whilst 
to the Tibetian or Tartar family in 
Asia pertain- the Mandchou and Mon- 



IN SPAIN. [chap, xxxvii. 

golian, the Calmuc and the Turkish of 
the Caspian sea; and in Europe, the 
Hungarian and the Basque partially. 

Indeed this latter language is a strange 
anomaly, so that upon the whole it is 
less difficult to say what it is not, than 
what is. It abounds with Sanscrit 
words to such a degree that its surface 
seems strewn with them. Yet would it 
be wrong to term it a Sancrit dialect, 
for in the collocation of these words the 
Tartar form is most decidedly observ- 
able. A considerable proportion of 
Tartar words is likewise to be found 
in this language, though perhaps not in 
equal number to the terms derived from 
the Sanscrit. Of these Tartar etymons 
I shall at present content myself with 
citing one, though, if necessary, it were 
easy to adduce hundreds. This word 
is Jauna, or, as it is pronounced, Khau- 
na, a word in constant use amongst the 
Basques, and which is the Khan of the 
Mongols and Mandchous, and of the 
same signification — Lord. 

Having closely examined the subject 
in all its various bearings, and having 
weighed what is to be said on one side 
against what is to be advanced on the 
other, I am inclined to rank the Basque 
rather amongst the Tartar than the San- 
scrit dialects. Whoever should have 
an opportunity of comparing the enun- 
ciation of the Basques and Tartars 
would, from that alone, even if he un- 
derstood them not, come to the conclu- 
sion that their respective languages were 
formed on the same principles. In both 
occur periods seemingly interminable, 
during which the voice gradually 
ascends to a climax, and then gradually 
sinks down. 

I have spoken of the surprising num- 
ber of Sanscrit words contained in the 
Basque language, specimens of some of 
which will be found below. It is re- 
markable enough, that in the greater 
part of the derivatives from the San- 
scrit, the Basque has dropped the initial 
consonant, so that the word commences 
with a vowel. The Basque, indeed, 
may be said to be almost a vowel lan- 
guage ; the number of consonants em- 
ployed being comparatively few: per- 
haps eight words out of ten commence 
and. terminate with a vowel, owing to 



CHAP. XXXVII.] 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



219 



which it is a language to the highest 
degree soft and melodious, far excelling 
in this respect any other language in 
Europe, not even excepting the Italian. 
Here follow a few specimens of Basque 
words with the Sanscrit roots in juxta- 
position : — 

BASQUE. SAN8CRIT. 



Ardoa Sandhana Wine. 

Arratsa 1'atri Night. 

Eeguia Akshi Eye- 

Cnoria Chiria Bird. 

Chacurra Cacura Dog. 

Erregaina Rani Queen 

Icasi Iksha T<> see. 

Iru Treya Three. 

Jan (Khan) Khana To eat. 

Uria Puri C'iy. 

Urrati Dura Far. 



Such is the tongue in which I brought 
out Saint Luke's Gospel at Madrid. 
The translation I procured originally 
from a Basque physician of the name 
of Oteiza. Previous to being sent to 
the press, the version had lain nearly 
two years in my possession, during 
which time, and particularly during my 
travels, I lost no opportunity of sub- 
mitting it to the inspection of those 
who were considered competent scho- 
lars in the Euscarra. It did not entirely 
please me : but it was in vain to seek 
for a better translation. 

In my early youth I had obtained a 
slight acquaintance with the Euscarra, 
as it exists in books. This acquaint- 
ance I considerably increased during 
my stay in Spain ; and by occasionally 
mingling with Basques, was enabled to 
understand the spoken language to a 
certain extent, and even to speak it, 
but always with considerable hesita- 
tion ; for to speak Basque, even toler- 
ably, it is necessary to have lived in 
the country from a very early period. 
So great are the difficulties attending 
it, and so strange are its peculiarities, 
that it is very rare to find a foreigner 
possessed of any considerable skill in 
the oral language, and the Spaniards 
consider the obstacles so formidable 
*hat they have a proverb to the effect 
that Satan once lived seven years in 
Biscay, and then departed, finding him- 
self unable either to understand or to 
make himself understood. 

There are few inducements to the 
study of this language. In the first 



place, the acquisition of it is by no 
means necessary even to those who re 
side in the countries where it is spoken, 
the Spanish being generally understood 
throughout the Basque provinces per 
taining to Spain, and the French in 
those pertaining to France. 

In the second place, neither dialect 
is in possession of any peculiar litera- 
ture capable of repaying the toil of the 
student. There are various books ex- 
tant both in French and Spanish Basque, 
but these consist entirely of Popish de- 
votion, and are for the most part trans- 
lations. 

It will, perhaps, here be asked whe- 
ther the Basques do not possess popular 
poetry, like most other nations, however 
small and inconsiderable. They have 
certainly no lack of songs, ballads, and 
stanzas, but of a character by no means 
entitled to the appellation of poetry. I 
have noted down from recitation, a con- 
siderable portion of what they call their 
poetry, but the only tolerable specimen 
of verse which I ever discovered amongst 
them was the following stanza, which, 
after all, is not entitled to very high 
praise : — 

" Ichasoa urac aundi, 
Estu ondoric a<jaeri — 
Pasaeo ninsaqueni andic 
Maitea icustea gatic." 

i. e. " The waters of the sea are vast, 
and their bottom cannot be seen; but 
over them I will pass, that I may be- 
hold my love." 

The Basques are a singing rather 
than a poetical people. Notwithstand- 
ing the facility with which their tongue 
lends itself to the composition of verse, 
they have never produced among them 
a poet with the slightest pretensions to 
reputation ; but their voices are singu- 
larly sweet, and they are known to 
excel in musical composition. It is the 
opinion, of a certain author, the Abbe 
DTlharce, who has written about them, 
that they derived the name Cantabri, 
by which they were known to the Ro- 
mans, from Khantor-ber, signifying 
sweet singers. They possess much 
music of their own, some of which is 
said to be exceedingly ancient. Of this 
music specimens were published at Do- 
nostian (San Sebastian) in the year 



22\) 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



[chap. XXXVII, 



1826, edited by a certain Juan Ignacio 
Iztueta. These consist of wild and 
thrilling marches, to the sound of which 
it is believed that the ancient Basques 
were in the habit of descending from 
their mountains to combat with the Ro- 
mans, and subsequently with the Moors. 
Whilst listening to them it is easy to 
suppose oneself in the close vicinity of 
some desperate encounter. We seem to 
hear the charge of cavalry on the sound- 
ing plain, the clash of swords, and the 
rushing of men down the gorges of 
hills. This music is accompanied with 
words, but such words ! Nothing can 
be imagined more stupid, common- 
place, and uninteresting. So far from 
being martial, they relate to every-day 
incidents, and appear to have no con- 
nexion whatever with the music. They 
are evidently of modern date. 

In person the Basques are of the 
middle size, and are active and athletic. 
They are in general of fair complexions 
and handsome features, and in appear- 
ance bear no slight resemblance to cer- 
tain Tartar tribes of the Caucasus. 
Their bravery is unquestionable, and 
they are considered as the best soldiery 
belonging to the Spanish crown : a fact 
highly corroborative of the supposition 
that they are of Tartar origin, the Tar- 
tars being of all races the most warlike, 
and amongst whom the most remark- 
able conquerors have been produced. 
They are faithful and honest, and ca- 
pable of much disinterested attachment ; 
kind and hospitable to strangers ; ail of 
which points are far from being at va- 
riance with the Tartar character. But 
they are somewhat dull, and their ca- 
pacities are by no means of a high 
order, and in these respects they again 
resemble the Tartars. 

No people on earth are prouder than 
the Basques, but theirs is a kind of re- 
publican pride. They have no nobility 



amongst them, and no one will acknow- 
ledge a superior. The poorest carman 
is as proud as the governor of Tolosa. 
" He is more powerful than I," he will 
say, " but I am of as good blood ; per- 
haps hereafter I may become a governor 
myself." They abhor servitude, at 
least out of their own country; and 
though circumstances frequently oblige 
them to seek masters, it is very rare to 
find them filling the places of common 
domestics; they are stewards, secreta- 
ries, accountants, &c. True it is, that 
it was my own fortune to obtain a 
Basque domestic; but then he always 
treated me more as an equal than a 
master, would sit down in my presence, 
give me his advice unasked, and enter 
into conversation with me at all times 
and occasions. Did I check him ? Cer- 
tainly not ! For in that case he would 
have left me, and a more faithful crea- 
ture I never knew. His fate was a. 
mournful one, as will appear in the 
sequel. 

I have said that the Basques abhor 
servitude, and are rarely to be found 
serving as domestics amongst the Spa- 
niards. I allude, however, merely to 
the males. The females, on the con- 
trary, have no objection whatever to 
enter houses as servants. Women, in- 
deed, amongst the Basques are not 
looked unon with all the esteem which 
they aeserve, and are considered as 
fitted for little else than to perform me- 
nial offices, even as in the East, where 
they are viewed in the light of servants 
and slaves. The Basque females differ 
widely in character from the men ; they 
are quick and vivacious, and have in 
general much more talent. They are 
famous for their skill as cooks, and in 
most respectable houses of Madrid a 
Biscayan female may be found in the 
kitchen, queen supreme of the culinary 
department. 



r 221 J 



CHAPTER XXXVIII. 



The Prohibition — Gospel Persecuted— Charge of Sorcery— Ofalia, 



About the middle of January a swoop 
was made upon me by my enemies, in 
the shape of a peremptory prohibition 
from the political governor of Madrid 
to sell any more New Testaments. 
This measure by no means took me by 
surprise, as I had for some time pre- 
viously been expecting something of 
the kind, on account of the political 
sentiments of the ministers then in 
power. I forthwith paid a visit to Sir 
George Villiers, informing him of what 
had occurred. He promised to do all 
he could to cause the prohibition to be 
withdrawn. Unfortunately at this time 
he had not much influence, having op- 
posed with all his might the entrance 
of the moderado ministry to power, and 
the nomination of Ofalia to the presi- 
dency of the cabinet. I, however, never 
lost confidence in the Almighty, in whose 
cause I was engaged. 

Matters were going on very well be- 
fore this check. The demand for Tes- 
taments was becoming considerable, so 
much so that the clergy were alarmed, 
and this step was the consequence. But 
they had previously recourse to another, 
well worthy of them; they attempted to 
act upon my fears. One of the ruffians 
of Madrid, called Manolos, came up to 
me one night, in a dark street, and told 
me that unless I discontinued selling 
my " Jewish books," I should have a 
knife " nailed in my heart ;" but I told 
him to go home, say his prayers, and 
tell his employers that I pitied them ; 
whereupon he turned away with an 
oath. A few days after, I received an 
order to send two copies of the Testa- 
ment to the office of the political go- 
vernor, with which I complied, and in 
less than twenty-four , hours an alguazil 



arrived at the shop with a notice pro* 
hibiting the further sale of the work. 

One circumstance rejoiced me. Sin- 
gular as it may appear, the authorities 
took no measures to cause my little 
despacho to be closed, and I received 
no prohibition respecting the sale of any 
work but the New Testament, and as 
the Gospel of Saint Luke, in Rom many 
and Basque, would within a short time 
be ready for delivery, I hoped to carry 
on matters in a small way till better 
times should arrive. 

I was advised to erase from the shop 
windows the words " Despacho of the 
British and Foreign Bible Society." 
This, however, I refused to do. Those 
words had tended very much to call 
attention, which was my grand object 
Had I attempted to conduct things in an 
underhand manner, I should, at the time 
of which I am speaking, scarcely have 
sold thirty copies in Madrid, instead of 
nearly three hundred. People who 
know me not may be disposed to call 
me rash ; but I am far from being so, 
as I never adopt a venturous course 
when any other is open to me. I am 
not. however, a person to be terrified 
by any danger, when I see that brav- 
ing it is the only way to achieve an 
object. 

The booksellers were unwilling to 
sell my work ; I was compelled to esta- 
blish a shop of my own. Every shop 
in Madrid has a name. What name 
could I give it but the true one ? I was 
not ashamed of my cause or my colours. 
I hoisted them, and fought beneath 
them not without success. 

The priestly party in Madrid, in the 
mean time, spared no effort to vilify 
me. They started a publication called 



222 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



[chap. XXXVIII. 



" The Friend of the Christian Reli- 
gion," in which a stupid but furious 
attack upon nie appeared, which I, 
however, treated with the contempt it 
deserved. But not satisfied with this, 
they endeavoured to incite the popu- 
lace against me, by telling them that I 
was a sorcerer, and a companion of 
Gypsies and witches, and their agents 
even called me so in the streets. That 
I was an associate of Gypsies and for- 
tune-tellers I do not deny. Why should 
I be ashamed of their company when 
my Master mingled with publicans and 
thieves? Many of the Gypsy race 
came frequently to visit me ; received 
instruction, and heard parts of the Gos- 
pel read to them in their own language, 
and when they were hungry and faint, 
I gave them to eat and drink. This 
might be deemed sorcery in Spain, but 
I am not without hope that it will be 
otherwise estimated in England; and 
had I perished at this period, I think 
there are some who would have been 
disposed to acknowledge that I had not 
lived altogether in vain, (always as an 
instrument of the "Most Highest/') 
having been permitted to turn one of 
the most valuable books of God into 
the speech of the most degraded of his 
creatures. 

In the mean time I endeavoured to 
enter into negociations with the ministry 
for the purpose of obtaining permission 
to sell the New Testament in Madrid, 
and the nullification of the prohibition. 
I experienced, however, great opposi- 
tion, which I was unable to surmount. 
Several of the ultra-popish bishops, 
then resident in Madrid, had denounced 
the Bible, the Bible Society, and my- 
self. Nevertheless, notwithstanding 
their powerful and united efforts, they 
were unable to effect their principal 
object, namely, my expulsion from 
Madrid and Spain. The Count Ofalia, 
notwithstanding he had permitted him- 
self to be made the instrument, to a 
certain extent, of these people, would 
not consent to be pushed to such a length. 
Throughout this affair I cannot find 
words sufficiently strong to do justice 
to the zeal and interest which . Sir 
George Villiers displayed in the cause 
of the Testament. He had various 



interviews with Ofalia on the subject, 
and in these he expressed to him his 
sense of the injustice and tyranny which 
had been practised in this instance to- 
wards his countryman. 

Ofalia had been moved by these re- 
monstrances, and more than once pro- 
mised to do all in his power to oblige 
Sir George ; but then the bishops again 
beset him, and playing upon his poli- 
tical if not religious fears, prevented 
him from acting a just, honest, and 
honourable part. At the desire of Sir 
George Villiers, I drew up a brief 
account of the Bible Society, and an 
exposition of its views, especially in 
respect to Spain, which he presented 
with his own hand to the Count. I 
shall not trouble the reader by insert- 
ing this memorial, but content myself 
with observing, that I made no attempts 
to flatter and cajole, but expressed my- 
self honestly and frankly, as a Christian 
ought. Ofalia, on reading it, said, 
" What a pity that this is a Protestant 
society, and that all its members are 
not Catholics." 

A few days subsequently, to my great 
astonishment, he sent a message to me 
by a friend, requesting that I would 
send him a copy of my Gypsy Gospel. 
I may as well here state, that the fame 
of this work, though not yet published, 
had already spread like wildfire through 
Madrid, and every person was passion- 
ately eager to possess a copy : indeed, 
several grandees of Spain sent messages 
with similar requests, all of which I 
however denied. I instantly resolved 
to take advantage of this overture on 
the part of Count Ofalia, and to call on 
him myself. I therefore caused a copy 
of the Gospel to be handsomely bound, 
and proceeding to the palace, was in- 
stantly admitted to him. He was a 
dusky, diminutive person, between fifty 
and sixty years of age, with false hair 
and teeth, but exceedingly gentlemanly 
manners. He received me with great 
affability*, and thanked me for my pre- 
sent ; but on my proceeding to speak 
of the New Testament, he told me that 
the subject was surrounded with dif- 
ficulties, and that the great body of the 
clergy had taken up the matter against 
me ; he conjured me, however, to be 



CHAP. XXXVIII.] 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



223 



patient and peaceable, in which case he 
said he would endeavour to devise some 
plan to satisfy me. Amongst other 
things, he observed that the bishops 
hated a sectarian more than an Atheist. 
Whereupon I replied, that, like the 
Pharisees of old, they cared more for 
the gold of the temple than the temple 
itself. Throughout the whole of our 
interview he evidently laboured under 
great fear, and was continually looking 



behind and around him, seemingly in 
dread of being overheard, which brought 
to my mind an expression of a friend 
of mine, that if there be any truth in 
metempsychosis, the soul of Count 
Ofalia must have originally belonged 
to a mouse. We parted in kindness, 
and I went away, wondering by what 
strange chance this poor man had be- 
come prime minister of a country like 
Spain. 



Q 



CHAPTER XXXIX. 



The Two Gospels — The Alguazil— The Warrant— The Good Maria— The Arrest — Sent t3 
Prison — Reflections — The Reception — The Prison Room — Redress Demanded. 



At length the Gospel of Saint Luke in 
the Gypsy language was in a state of 
readiness. I therefore deposited a cer- 
tain number of copies in the despacho, 
and announced them for sale. The 
Basque, which was by this time also 
printed, was likewise advertised. For 
this last work there was little demand. 
Not so, however, for the Gypsy Luke, 
of which I could have easily disposed 
of the w T hole edition in less than a fort- 
night. Long, however, before this 
period had expired the clergy were up 
in arms. " Sorcery ! " said one bishop. 
" There is more in this than we can 
dive into," exclaimed a second. " He 
will convert all Spain by means of the 
Gypsy language," cried a third. And 
then came the usual chorus on such 
occasions, of Que infamia I Que picar- 
dial At last, having consulted toge- 
ther, away they hurried to their tool 
the corregidor, or, according to the 
modern term, the gefe politico of Ma- 
drid. I have forgotten the name of 
this worthy, of whom I had myself no 
personal knowledge whatever. Judging 
from his actions, however, and from 
common report, I should say that he 
was a stupid wrong-headed creature, 
savage withal — a melange of borrico, 
mule, and wolf. Having an inveterate 
antipathy to all foreigners, he lent a 
willing ear to the complaint of my 
accusers, and forthwith gave orders to 
make a seizure of all the copies of the 
Gypsy Gospel which could be found in 
the despacho. The consequence was, 
that a numerous body of alguazils 
directed their steps to the Calle del 
principe ; some thirty copies of the 
book in question were poimced upon, 
and about the same number of Saint 
Luke 13 Basque. With this spoil these 



satellites returned in triumph to the 
gefatura politica, where they divided 
the copies of the Gypsy volume amongst 
themselves, selling subsequently the 
greater number at a large price, the 
book being in the greatest demand, and 
thus becoming unintentionally agents 
of an heretical society, But every one 
must live by his trade, say these peo- 
ple, and they lose no opportunity of 
making their words good, by disposing 
to the best advantage of any booty 
which falls into their hands. As no 
person cared about the Basque Gospel, 
it was safely stowed away, with other 
unmarketable captures, in the ware- 
houses of the office. 

The Gypsy Gospels had now been 
seized, at least as many as were exposed 
for sale in the despacho. The corre- 
gidor and his friends, however, were 
of opinion that many more might be 
obtained by means of a little manage- 
ment. Fellows, therefore, hangers on 
of the police-office, were daily despatched 
to the shop in all kinds of disguises, 
inquiring, with great seeming anxiety, 
for " Gypsy books," and offering high 
prices for copies. They, however, re- 
turned to their employers empty-handed. 
My Gallegan was on his guard, inform- 
ing all who made inquiries, that books 
of no description would be sold at the 
establishment for the present. Which 
was in truth the case, as I had given 
him particular orders to sell no more 
under any pretence whatever. 

I got no credit, however, for my 
frank dealing. The corregidor and his 
confederates could not persuade them- 
selves but that, by some means myste- 
rious and unknown to them, I was daily 
selling hundreds of these Gypsy books, 
which were to revolutionise the coun- 



CHAP. XXXIX.] 



THE BIBLE 



IN SPAIN. 



225 



try, and annihilate the power of the 
Father of Kome. A plan was therefore 
resolved upon, by means of which they 
hoped to have an opportunity of placing 
me in a position which would incapa- 
citate me for some time from taking 
any active measures to circulate the 
Scriptures, either in Gypsy or in any 
other language. 

It was on the morning of the first 
of May, if I forget not, that an unknown 
individual made his appearance in my 
apartment as I was seated at breakfast ; 
he was a mean-looking fellow, about 
the middle stature, with a countenance 
on which knave was written in legible 
characters. The hostess ushered him 
in, and then withdrew. I did not like 
the appearance of my visitor, but as- 
suming some degree of courtesy, I re- 
quested him to sit down, and demanded 
his business. " I come from his excel- 
lency the political chief of Madrid," he 
replied, " and my business is to inform 
you that his excellency is perfectly 
aware of your proceedings, and is at 
any time able to prove that you are 
still disposing of in secret those evil 
books which you have been forbidden 
to sell/' " Is he so ?" I replied ; " pray 
let him do so forthwith ; but what need 
of giving me information ? " " Per- 
haps," continued the fellow, " you 
think his worship has no witnesses ; 
know, however, that he has many, and 
respectable ones too." " Doubtless," I 
replied, " and from the respectability 
of your own appearance, you are per- 
haps one of them. But you are occu- 
pying my time unprofitably ; begone, 
therefore, and tell whoever sent you, 
that I have by no means a high opinion 
of his wisdom." " I shall go when I 
please," retorted the fellow ; " do you 
know to whom you are speaking ? Are 
you aware that if I think fit I can search 
your apartment, yes, even below your 
bed? What have we here," he con- 
tinued, and commenced with his stick 
poking a heap of papers which lay upon 
a chair ; " what have we here ; are 
these also papers of the Gypsies?" I 
instantly determined upon submitting 
no longer to this behaviour, and taking 
the fellow by the arm, led him out of 
die apartment, and then, still holding 



him, conducted him down stairs from 
the third floor in which I lived, into 
the street, looking him steadfastly in 
the face the whole while. 

The fellow had left his sombrero on 
the table, which I despatched to him 
by the landlady, who delivered it into 
his hand as he stood in the street star- 
ing with distended eyes at the balcony 
of my apartment. 

" A trampa has been laid for you, 
Don Jorge," said Maria Diaz, when she 
had re-ascended from the street ; " that 
corchete came here with no other inten- 
tion than to have a dispute with you ; 
out of every word you have said he will 
make a long history, as is the custom 
with these people ; indeed he said, as I 
handed him his hat, that ere twenty- 
four hours were over, you should see 
the inside of the prison of Madrid." 

In effect, during the course of the 
morning, I was told that a warrant had 
been issued for my apprehension. The 
prospect of incarceration, however, did 
not fill me with much dismay ; an ad- 
venturous life and inveterate habits of 
wandering having long familiarized me 
to situations of every kind, so much so 
as to feel myself quite as comfortable in 
a prison as in the gilded chambers of 
palaces ; indeed more so, as in the for- 
mer place I can always add to my store 
of useful information, whereas in the 
latter, ennui frequently assails me. I 
had, moreover, been thinking for some 
time past of paying a visit to the prison, 
partly in the hope of being able to say 
a few words of Christian instruction to 
the criminals, and partly with the view 
of making certain investigations in the 
robber language of Spain, a subject 
about which I had long felt much 
curiosity ; indeed, I had already made 
application for admittance into the Car- 
cel de la Corte, but had found the matter 
surrounded with difficulties, as my 
friend Ofalia would have said. I rather 
rejoiced then in the opportunity which 
was now about to present itself of enter- 
ing the prison, not in the character of a 
visitor for an hour, but as a martyr, and 
as one suffering in the holy cause of re- 
ligion. I was determined, however, to 
disappoint my enemies for that day at 
least, and to render null the threat of 



228 



THE BIBLE IJN SPAIN. 



[chap. XXXIX. 



the aiguazil, that I should be imprisoned 
within twenty-four hours. I therefore 
took up my abode for the rest of the day 
in a celebrated French tavern in the 
Calle del Caballero de Gracia, which, 
as it was one of the most fashionable 
and public places in Madrid, I naturally 
concluded was one of the last where the 
corregidor would think of seeking me. 

About ten at night, Maria Diaz, to 
whom I had communicated the place of 
my retreat, arrived with her son, Juan 
Lopez. " 0 senor," said she on seeing 
me, " they are already in quest of you ; 
the alcalde of the barrio, with a large 
comitiva of alguazils and such like 
people, have just been at our house with 
a warrant for your imprisonment from 
the corregidor. They searched the 
whole house, and were much disap- 
pointed at not finding you. Wo is me, 
what will they do when they catch 
you?" " Be under no apprehensions, 
good Maria," said I ; " you forget that 
I am an Englishman, and so it seems 
does the corregidor. Whenever he 
catches me, depend upon it he will 
be glad enough to let me go. For the 
present, however, we will permit him 
to follow his own course, for the spirit 
of folly seems to have seized him." 

I slept at the tavern, and in the fore- 
noon of the following day repaired to 
the embassy, where I had an interview 
with Sir George, to whom I related 
every circumstance of the affair. He 
said that he could scarcely believe that 
the corregidor entertained any serious 
intentions of imprisoning me ; in the 
first place, because I had committed no 
offence; and in the second, because I 
was not under the jurisdiction of that 
functionary, but under that of the cap- 
tain-general, who was alone empowered 
to decide upon matters which relate to 
foreigners, and before whom I must 
be brought in the presence of the con- 
sul of my nation. " However," said he, 
" there is no knowing to what length 
these jacks in office may go. I there- 
fore advise you, if you are under any 
apprehension, to remain as my guest at 
the embassy for a few days, for here 
you will be quite safe." I assured him 
that 1 was under no apprehension what- 
ever, having long been accustomed to 



adventures of this kind. From the 
apartment of Sir George 1" proceeded tc 
that of the first secretary of embassy. 
Mr. Southern, with whom I entered 
into conversation. I had scarcely been 
there a minute when my servant Fran- 
cisco rushed in, much out of breath, 
and in violent agitation, exclaiming in 
Basque, " Kiri jauna {master mine), 
the alguaziloac and the corchetoac, and 
all the other lapurrac (thieves) are again 
at the house. They seem half mad, and 
not being able to 'find you, are search- 
ing your papers, thinking, I suppose, 
that you are hid among them." Mr. 
Southern here interrupting him, in- 
quired of me what all this meant. 
Whereupon I told him, saying at the 
same time, that it was my intention to 
proceed at once to my lodgings. " But 
perhaps these fellows will arrest you," 
said Mr. S., "before we can interfere." 
" I must take my chance as to that," 1 
replied, and presently afterwards de- 
parted. 

Ere, however, I had reached the mid- 
dle of the street of Alcala, two fellows 
came up to me, and telling me that I 
was their prisoner, commanded me to 
follow them to the office of the corre- 
gidor. They were, in fact, alguazils, 
who, suspecting that I might enter or 
come out of the embassy, had stationed 
themselves in the neighbourhood. I 
instantly turned round to Francisco, 
and told him in Basque to return to the 
embassy, and to relate there to the se- 
cretary what had just occurred. The 
poor fellow set off like lightning, turn- 
ing half round, however, to shake his 
fist, and to vent a Basque execration 
at the two lapurrac, as he called the 
aiguazil--. 

They conducted me to the gefatura 
or office of the corregidor, where they 
ushered me into a large room, and mo- 
tioned me to sit down on a wooden 
bench. They then stationed themselves 
on each side of me. There were at 
least twenty people in the apartment 
beside ourselves evidently from their 
appearance officials of the establishment. 
They were all well dressed, for the most 
part in the French fashion, in round 
hats, coats, and pantaloons, and yet they 
looked what in reality they were, Spa- 



CHAP. XXXIX.] 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



227 



nish alguazils, spies, and informers : 
and Gil Bias, could he have waked 
from his sleep of two centuries, would, 
notwithstanding the change of fashion, 
have had no difficulty in recognising 
them. They glanced at me as they 
stood lounging about the room ; then 
gathered themselves together in a circle 
and began conversing in whispers. I 
heard one of them say, " he understands 
the seven Gypsy jargons." Then pre- 
sently another, evidently from his 
language an Andalusian, said " Ils 
muy diestro (he is very skilful), and 
can ride a horse and dart a knife full 
as well as if he came from my own 
country." Thereupon they all turned 
round and regarded me with a species 
of interest, evidently mingled with re- 
spect, which most assuredly they would 
not have exhibited had they conceived 
that I was merely an honest man bear- 
ing witness in a righteous cause. 

I waited patiently on the bench at 
least one hour, expecting every moment 
to be summoned before my lord the 
corregidor. I suppose, however, that 
I was not deemed worthy of being per- 
mitted to see so exalted a personage, for 
at the end of that time, an elderly man, 
one however evidently of the alguazil 
genus, came into the room and advanced 
directly towards me. " Stand up," 
said he. I obeyed. " What is your 
name?" he demanded. I told him. 
" Then," he replied, exhibiting a paper 
which he held in his hand, " Sen or, it 
is the will of his excellency the corre- 
gidor, that you be forthwith sent to 
prison." 

He looked at me steadfastly as he 
spoke, perhaps expecting that I should 
sink into the earth at the formidable 
name of prison ; I however only smiled. 
He then delivered the paper, whicli I 
suppose was the warrant for my com- 
mittal, into the hand of one of my two 
captors, and obeying a sign which they 
made, 1 followed them. 

I subsequently learned that the secre- 
tary of legation, Mr. Southern, had 
been despatched by Sir George, as soon 
as the latter had obtained information 
of my arrest, and had been waiting at 
the office during the greater part of the 
time that I was there. He had de- 



manded an audience of the corregidor, 
in which he had intended to have re- 
monstrated with him, and pointed out to 
him the danger to which he was sub- 
jecting himself by the rash step which 
he was taking. The sullen functionary, 
however, had refused to see him, think- 
ing, perhaps, that to listen to reason 
would be a dereliction of dignity : 
this conduct, however, he most effectu- 
ally served me, as no person, after such 
a specimen of uncalled-for insolence, 
felt disposed to question the violence 
and injustice which had been practised 
towards me. 

The alguazils conducted me across 
the Plaza Mayor to the Carcel de la 
Corte, or prison of the court, as it is 
called. Whilst going across the square, 
I remembered that this was the place 
where, in " the good old times," the 
Inquisition of Spain was in the habit of 
holding its solemn Autos dafe, and I 
cast my eye to the balcony of the city 
hall, where at the most solemn of them 
all, the last of the Austrian line in Spain 
sat, and after some thirty heretics, of 
both sexes, had been burnt by fours and 
by fives, wiped his face, perspiring with 
heat, and black with smoke, and calmly 
inquired, " No hay mas ? " for which 
exemplary proof of patience he was 
much applauded by his priests and con- 
fessors, who subsequently poisoned him. 
" And here am I," thought I, " who 
have done more to wound Popery than 
ail the poor Christian martyrs that 
ever suffered in this accursed square, 
merely sent to prison, from which I am 
sure to be liberated in a few days, with 
credit and applause. Pope of Rome ! I 
believe you to be as malicious as ever, 
but you are sadly deficient in power. 
You are become paralytic, Batiischca, 
and your club has degenerated to a 
crutch. 

We arrived at the prison, which 
stands in a narrow street not far from 
the great square. We entered a dusky 
passage, at the end of which was a 
wicket door. My conductors knocked, 
a fierce visage peered through the 
wicket ; there was an exchange of 
words, and in a few moments I found 
myself within the prison of Madrid, in 
a kind of corridor which overlooked at 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



| chap, xx xix. 



a considerable altitude what appeared 
to be a court, from which arose a hub- 
bub of Yoices, and occasionally wild 
shouts and cries. Within the corridor, 
which served as a kind of office, were 
several people ; one of them sat behind 
a desk, and to him the alguazils went 
up. and after discoursing with him 
some time in low tones, delivered the 
warrant into his hands. He perused it 
with attention, then rising he advanced 
to me. What a figure ! He was about 
forty years of age, and his height 
might have amounted to some six feet 
two inches, had he not been curved 
much after the fashion of the letter S. 
No weazel ever appeared lanker, and 
he looked as if a breath of air would 
have been sufficient to blow him away ; 
his face might certainly have been 
called handsome, had it not been for its 
extraordinary and portentous meagre- 
ness ; his nose was like an eagle's bill, 
his teeth white as ivory, his eyes black, 
(Oh, how black i) and fraught with a 
strange expression, his skin was dark, 
and the hair of his head like the plum- 
age of the raven. A deep quiet smile 
dwelt continually on his features ; but 
with all the quiet it was a cruel smile, 
such a one as would have graced the 
countenance of a Nero. " Mais en re- 
vanche personne n'e'toit plus honnete." 
" Caballero," said he, " allow me to 
introduce myself to you as the alcayde 
of this prison. I perceive by this paper 
that I am to have the honour of your 
company for a time, a short time doubt- 
less, beneath this roof ; I hope you will 
banish every apprehension from your 
mind. I am charged to treat you with 
all the respect which is due to the illus- 
trious nation to which you belong, and 
which a cavalier of such exalted cate- 
gory as yourself is entitled to expect. 
A needless charge, it is true, as I should 
only have been too happy of my own 
accord to have afforded you every com- 
fort and attention. Caballero, you will 
rather consider yourself here as a guest 
than a prisoner ; you will be permitted 
to roam over every part of this house 
whenever you think proper. You will 
find matters here not altogether below 
the attention of a philosophic mind. 
Pray issue whatever commands you 



may think fit to the turnkeys and offi- 
cials, even as if they were your own 
servants. I will now have the honour 
of conducting you to your apartment — 
the only one at present unoccupied. We 
invariably reserve it for cavaliers of 
distinction, i am happy to say that 
my orders are again in consonance with 
my inclination. No charge whatever 
will be made for it to you, though the 
daily hire of it is not unfrequently an 
ounce of gold. I entreat you, therefore, 
to follow me, cavalier, who am at all 
times and seasons the most obedient 
and devoted of your servants." Here 
he took off his hat and bowed pro- 
foundly. 

Such was the speech of the alcayde 
of the prison of Madrid ; a speech de- 
livered in pure sonorous Castilian, with 
calmness, gravity, and almost with dig- 
nity ; a speech which would have done 
honour to a gentleman of high birth, to 
Monsieur Basompierre, of the Old Bas- 
tile, receiving an Italian prince, or the 
high constable of the Tower an English 
duke attainted of high treason. Now, 
who in the name of wonder was this 
alcayde ? 

One of the greatest rascals in all 
Spain. A fellow who had more than 
once, by his grasping cupidity, and by 
his curtailment of the miserable rations 
of the prisoners, caused an insurrection 
in the court below only to be repressed 
by bloodshed, and by summoning mili- 
tary aid ; a fellow of low birth, who, 
I only five years previous, had been drum- 
mer to a band of royalist volunteers ! 
i But Spain is the land of extraordi- 
; nary characters. 

I followed the alcayde to the end of 
\ the corridor, where was a massive 
! grated door, on each side of which sat 
! a grim fellow of a turnkey. The door 
was opened, and turning to the right 
we proceeded down another corridor, 
in which were many people walking 
about, whom I subsequently discovered 
to be prisoners like myself, but for po- 
I litical offences. At the end of this cor- 
i ridor, which extended the whole length 
of the patio, we turned into another, 
and the first apartment in this was the 
" one destined for myself. It was large 
j and loft}-, but totally destitute of every 



CHAP. XXXIX. 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



229 



species of furniture, with the exception I 
of a huge wooden pitcher, intended to 
hold my daily allowance of water. 
" Caballero," said the alcayde, " the 
apartment is without furniture, as you 
see. It is already the third hour of the 
tarde, I therefore advise you to lose no 
time in sending to your lodgings for a 
bed and whatever you may stand in 
need of; the llavero here shall do your 
bidding. Caballero, adieu, till I see 
you again." 

I followed his advice, and, writing a 
note in pencil to Maria Diaz, I de- 
spatched it by the llavero, and then, 
sitting down on the wooden pitcher, I 
fell into a reverie, which continued for 
a considerable time. 

Night arrived, and so did Maria 
Diaz, attended by two porters and Fran- 
cisco, all loaded with furniture. A lamp 
was lighted, charcoal was kindled in 
the brasero, and the prison gloom was 
to a certain degree dispelled. 

I now left my seat on the pitcher, 
and sitting down on a chair, proceeded 
to despatch some wine and viands, 
which my good hostess had not for- 
gotten to bring with her. Suddenly 
Sir. Southern entered. He laughed 
heartily at finding me engaged in the 
manner I have described. " B * * * *" 
said he, " you are the man to get through 
the world, for you appear to take all 
things coolly, and as matters of course. 
That, however, which most surprises 
me with respect to you is, your having 
so many friends ; here you are in prison, 
surrounded by people ministering to 
your comforts. Your very servant is 



your friend, instead of being your worst 
enemy, as is usually the case. That 
Basque of yours is a noble fellow. I 
shall never forget how he spoke for 
you, when he came running to the em- 
bassy to inform us of your arrest. He 
interested both Sir George and myself 
in the highest degree : should you ever 
wish to part with him, I hope you 
will give me the refusal of his ser- 
vices. But now to other matters." He 
then informed me that Sir George 
had already sent in an official note to 
Ofalia, demanding redress for such a 
wanton outrage on the person of a Bri- 
tish subject. "You must remain in 
prison," said he to-night, " but depend 
upon it that to-morrow, if you are dis- 
posed, you may quit in triumph." " I 
am by no means disposed for any such 
thing," I replied. " They have put me 
in prison for their pleasure, and I in- 
tend to remain here for my own." " If 
the confinement is not irksome to you," 
said Mr. Southern, " I think, indeed,4t 
will be your wisest plan ; the govern- 
ment have committed themselves sadly 
with regard to you; and, to speak 
plainly, we are by no means sorry for 
it. They have on more than one occa- 
sion treated ourselves very cavalierly, 
and we have now, if you continue firm, 
an excellent opportunity of humbling 
their insolence. I will instantly ac- 
quaint Sir George with your determi- 
nation, and you shall hear from us early 
on the morrow." He then bade me 
farewell; and flinging myself on my 
bed, I was soon asleep in the prison oi 
Madrid. 



f 230 I 



CHAPTER XL. 



Ofalia— The Juez — Carcel de la Corte — Sunday in Prison — Robber Dress — Father and Son- 
Characteristic Behaviour — The Frenchman — Prison Allowance — Valley of the Shadow — 
Pure Castilian — Balseiro — The Cave— Robber Glory. 



Ofalia quickly perceived that the im- 
prisonment of a British subject in a 
manner so illegal as that which had 
attended my own was likely to be fol- 
lowed by rather serious consequences. 
Whether he himself had at all encou- 
raged the corregidor in his behaviour 
towards me, it is impossible to say ; the 
probability is that he had not: the 
fatter, however, was an officer of his 
own appointing, for whose actions him- i 
self and the government were to a cer- 
tain extent responsible. Sir George had 
already made a very strong remon- 
strance upon the subject, and had even 
gone so far as to state in an official note 
that he should desist from all farther 
communication with the Spanish go- 
vernment until full and ample repara- 
tion had been afforded me for the vio- 
lence to which I had been subjected. 
Ofalia's reply was, that immediate mea- 
sures should be taken for my liberation, 
and that it would be my own fault if I 
remained in prison. He forthwith or- 
dered a juez de la primera instancia, a 
kind of solicitor-general, to wait upon 
me, who was instructed to hear my ac- 
count of the affair, and then to dismiss 
me with an admonition to be cautious 
for the future. My friends of the em- 
bassy, however, had advised me how to 
act in such a case. Accordingly, when 
the juez on the second night of my im- 
prisonment made his appearance at the 
prison, and summoned me before him, 
I went, but on his proceeding to ques- 
tion me, I absolutely refused to answer. 
" I deny your right to put any ques- 
tions to me," said I ; " I entertain, how- 
ever, no feelings of disrespect to the 
government or to yourself, Caballero 
Juez ; but 1 have been illegally impri- 



soned. So accomplished a jurist as 
yourself cannot fail to be aware that, 
according to the laws of Spain, I, as a 
foreigner, could not be committed to 
prison for the offence with which I had 
been charged, without previously being 
conducted before the captain-general of 
this royal city, whose duty it is to pro- 
tect foreigners, and see that the laws of 
hospitality are not violated in their 
[ persons." 

Juez. — Come, come, Don Jorge, I 
see what you are aiming at ; but listen 
to reason : I will not now speak to you 
as a juez, but as a friend who wishes 
you well, and who entertains a profound 
reverence for the British nation. This 
is a foolish affair altogether ; I will not 
deny that the political chief acted some- 
what hastily on the information of -a 
person not perhaps altogether worthy 
of credit. No great damage, however, 
has been done to you, and to a man of 
the world like yourself, a little adven- 
ture of this kind is rather calculated to 
afford amusement than anything else. 
Now be advised, forget what has hap- 
pened ; you know that it is the part and 
duty of a Christian to forgive ; so, Don 
Jorge, I advise you to leave this place 
forthwith, I dare say you are getting 
tired of it. You are this moment free 
to depart ; repair at once to your lodg- 
ings, where I promise you that no one 
shall be permitted to interrupt you for 
the future. It is getting late, and the 
prison doors will speedily be closed for 
the night. Vamos, Don Jorge, a la 
casa, a laposada! 

Myself. — " But Paul said unto them, 
they have beaten us openly uncon- 
demned, being Eomans, and have cast 
us into prison ; and now do they thrust 



CHAP. XL. 1 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



231 



us out privily? Nay, verily: but let 
them come themselves and fetch us 
out." 

I then bowed to the juez, who 
shrugged his shoulders and took snuff. 
On leaving the apartment I turned to 
the alcayde, who stood at the door: 
" Take notice," said I, " that I will not 
quit this prison till I have received full 
satisfaction for being sent hither uncon- 
demned. You may expel me if you 
please, but any attempt to do so shall 
be resisted with all the bodily strength 
of which I am possessed." 

" Your worship is right," said the 
alcayde with a bow, but in a low voice. 

Sii George, on hearing of this affair, 
sent me a letter in which he highly 
commended my resolution not to leave 
the prison for the present, at the same 
time begging me to let him know if 
there were anything that he could send 
me from the embassy to render my si- 
tuation more tolerable. 

I will now leave for the present my 
own immediate affairs, and proceed to 
give some account of the prison of Ma- 
drid and its inmates. 

The Carcel de la Corte, where I now 
was, though the principal prison of 
Madrid, is one which certainly in no 
respect does credit to the capital of 
Spain. Whether it was originally in- 
tended for the purpose to which it is at 
present applied, I have no opportunity 
of knowing. The chances, however, 
are, that it was not ; indeed it was not 
till of late years that the practice of 
building edifices expressly intended and 
suited for the incarceration of culprits 
came at all into vogue. Castles, con- 
vents, and deserted palaces, have in all 
countries, at different times, been con- 
verted into prisons, which practice still 
holds good upon the greater part of the 
continent, and more particularly in 
Spain and Italy, which accounts, to a 
certain extent, for the insecurity of the 
prisons, and the misery, want of clean- 
liness, and unhealthiness which in ge- 
neral pervade them. 

I shall not attempt to enter into a 
particular description of the prison of 
Madrid ; indeed it would be quite im- 
possible to describe so irregular and 
rambling an edifice. Its principal fea- 



tures consisted of two courts, the one 
behind the other : intended for the great 
body of the prisoners to take air and 
recreation in. Three large vaulted dun- 
geons or calabozos occupied three sides 
of this court, immediately below the 
corridors of which I have already 
spoken. These dungeons were roomy 
enough to contain respectively from 
one hundred to one hundred and fifty 
prisoners, who were at night secured 
therein with lock and bar, but during 
the day were permitted to roam about 
the courts as they thought fit. The 
second court was considerably larger 
than the first, though it contained but 
two dungeons, horribly filthy and dis- 
gusting places ; this second court being 
used for the reception of the lower 
grades of thieves. Of the two dun- 
geons one was, if possible, yet more 
horrible than the other ; it was called 
the gallineria, or chicken coop, and 
within it every night were pent up the 
young fry of the prison, wretched boys 
from seven to fifteen years of age, the 
greater part almost in a state of nudity. 
The common bed of all the inmates of 
these dungeons was the ground, between 
which and their bodies nothing inter- 
vened, save occasionally a manta or 
horse-cloth, or perhaps a small mat- 
tress ; this latter luxury was, however, 
of exceedingly rare occurrence. 

Besides the calabozos connected with 
the courts were other dungeons in va- 
rious parts of the prison ; some of them 
quite dark, intended for the reception 
of those whom it might be deemed ex- 
pedient to treat with peculiar severity. 
There was likewise a ward set apart 
for females. Connected with the prin- 
cipal corridor were many small apart- 
ments, where resided prisoners confined 
for debt or for political offences. And, 
lastly, there was a small eapilla or 
chapel, in which prisoners cast for 
death passed the last three days of their 
existence in company of their ghostly 
advisers. 

I shall not soon forget my first Sun- 
day in prison. Sunday is the gala day 
of the prison, at least of that of Madrid, 
and whatever robber finery is to be 
found within it is sure to be exhibited 
on that day of holiness. There is not 



232 



FHE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



[CHAP. XX 



a set of people in the world more vain 
than robbers in general, more fond of 
cutting a figure whenever they have an 
opportunity, and of attracting the eyes 
of their fellow creatures by the gallantry 
of their appearance. The famous Shep- 
pard of olden times delighted in sport- 
ing a suit of Genoese velvet, and when 
he appeared in public generally wore a 
silver-hilted sword at his side ; whilst 
Vaux and Hayward, heroes of a later 
day, were the best dressed men on the 
pave of London. Many of the Italian 
bandits go splendidly decorated, and 
the very Gypsy robber has a feeling 
for the charms of dress ; the cap alone 
of the Haram Pasha, or leader of the 
cannibal Gypsy band which infested 
Hungary towards the conclusion of the 
last century, was adorned with gold 
and jewels to the value of four thousand 
guilders. Observe, ye vain and frivolous, 
how vanity and crime harmonize ! The 
Spanish robbers are as fond of this spe- 
cies of display as their brethren of other 
lands, and, whether in prison or out of 
it, are never so happy as when, decked 
out in a profusion of white linen, they 
can loll in the sun, or walk jauntily up 
and down. 

Snow-white linen, indeed, constitutes 
the principal feature in • the robber fop- 
pery of Spain. Neither coat nor jacket 
is worn over the shirt, the sleeves of 
which are wide and flowing, only a 
waistcoat of green or blue silk with an 
abundance of silver buttons, which are 
intended more for show than use, as the 
vest is seldom buttoned. Then there 
are wide trousers, something after the 
Turkish fashion; around the waist is 
a crimson faja or girdle, and about 
the head is tied a gaudily coloured 
handkerchief from the loom of Barce- 
lona; light pumps and silk stockings 
complete the robber's array. This 
dress is picturesque enough, and well 
adapted to the fine sunshiny weather 
of the Peninsula; there is a dash of 
effeminacy about it, however, hardly in 
keeping with the robber's desperate 
trade. It must not, however, be sup- 
posed that it is every robber who can 
indulge in all this luxury; there are 
various grades of thieves, some poor 
enough, with scarcely a rag to cover 



them. Perhaps in the crowded prisou 
of Madrid there were not more than 
twenty who exhibited the dress which 
I have attempted to describe above ; 
these were jente de reputation, tip-top 
thieves, mostly young fellows, who, 
though they had no money of their own, 
were supported in prison by their majas 
and amigas, females of a certain class, 
who form friendships with robbers, and 
whose glory and delight it is to admi- 
nister to the vanity of these fellows 
with the wages of their own shame and 
abasement. These females supplied 
their cortejos with the snowy linen, 
washed, perhaps, by their own hands 
in the waters of the Manzanares, for 
the display of the Sunday, when they 
would themselves make their appear- 
ance dressed a la maja, and from the 
corridors would gaze with admiring 
eyes upon the robbers vapouring about 
in the court below. 

Amongst those of the snowy liner; 
who most particularly attracted my 
attention, were a father and son; the 
former was a tall athletic figure of about 
thirty, by profession a housebreaker, 
and celebrated throughout Madrid for 
the peculiar dexterity which he exhi- 
bited in his calling. He was now in 
prison for a rather atrocious murder 
committed in the dead of night, in a 
house at Caramanchel, in which his 
only accomplice was his son, a child 
under seven years of age. ** The apple," 
as the Danes say, " had not fallen far 
from the tree ;" the imp was in every 
respect the counterpart of the father, 
though in miniature. He, too, wore 
the robber shirt-sleeves, the robber 
waistcoat with the silver buttons, the 
robber kerchief round his brow, and, 
ridiculous enough, a long Manchegan 
knife in the crimson faja. He was 
evidently the pride of the ruffian father, 
who took all imaginable care of this 
chick of the gallows, would dandle him 
on his knee, and would occasionally 
take the cigar from his own moustached 
lips and insert it in the urchin's mouth. 
The boy was the pet of the court, for 
the father was one of the valientes 01 
the prison, and those who feared his 
prowess, and wished to pay their court 
to him, were always fondling the child, 



CHAP. XL. J 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



233 



What an enigma is this world of ours ! 
How dark and mysterious are the 
sources of what is called crime and 
virtue ! If that infant wretch become 
eventually a murderer like his father, 
is he to blame ? Fondled by robbers, 
already dressed as a robber, born of a 
robber, whose own history was perhaps 
similar. Is it right ? . . . . 

O, man, man, seek not to dive into 
the mystery of moral good and evil ; 
confess thyself a worm, cast thyself on 
the earth, and murmur with thy lips in 
the dust, Jesus, Jesus I 

What most surprised me with respect 
to the prisoners was their good be- 
haviour ; I call it good when all things 
are taken into consideration, and when 
I compare it with that of the general 
class of prisoners in foreign lands. 
They had their occasional bursts of 
wild gaiety, their occasional quarrels, 
which they were in the habit of settling 
in a corner of the interior court with 
their long knives ; the result not un- 
frequently being death, or a dreadful 
gash in the face or the abdomen ; but, 
upon the whole, their conduct was infi- 
nitely superior to what might have been 
expected from the inmates of such a 
place. Yet this was not the result of 
coercion, or any particular care which 
was exercised over them ; for perhaps 
in no part of the world are prisoners 
so left to themselves and so utterly 
neglected as in Spain : the authorities 
having no farther anxiety about them 
than to prevent their escape; not the 
slightest attention being paid to their 
moral conduct, and not a thought be- 
stowed upon their health, comfort, or 
mental improvement, whilst within the 
walls. Yet in this prison of Madrid, 
and I may say in Spanish prisons in 
general, for I have been an inmate of 
more than one, the ears of the visitor 
are never shocked with horrid blas- 
phemy and obscenity, as in those of 
some other countries, and more par- 
ticularly in civilized France; nor are 
his eyes outraged and himself insulted, 
as he would assuredly be, were he to 
look down upon the courts from the 
galleries of the Bicetre. And yet in 
this prison of Madrid w ere some of the 
most desperate characters in Spain; 



ruffians who had committed acts of 
cruelty and atrocity sufficient to make 
the flesh shudder. But gravity and 
sedateness are the leading characteris- 
tics of the Spaniards, and the very rob- 
ber, except in those moments when he 
is engaged in his occupation, and then 
no one is more sanguinary, pitiless, and 
• wolfishly eager for booty, is a being 
who can be courteous and affable, and 
who takes pleasure in conducting him- 
self with sobriety and decorum. 

Happily, perhaps, for me, that my 
acquaintance with the ruffians of Spain 
commenced and ended in the towns 
about which I wandered, and in the 
prisons into which I was cast, for the 
Gospel's sake, and that, notwithstand- 
ing my long and frequent journeys, I 
never came in contact with them on 
the road or in the despoblado. 

The most ill-conditioned being in 
the prison was a Frenchman, though 
probably the most remarkable. He 
was about sixty years of age, of the 
middle stature, but thin and meagre, 
like most of his countrymen ; he had a 
villanously formed head, according to 
all the rules of craniology, and his fea- 
tures were full of evil expression. He 
wore no hat, and his clothes, though in 
appearance nearly new, were of the 
coarsest description. He generally kept 
aloof from the rest, and would stand 
for hours together leaning against the 
walls with his arms folded, glaring 
sullenly on what was passing before 
him. He was not one of the professed 
valientes, for his age prevented his 
assuming so distinguished a character, 
and yet all the rest appeared to hold 
him in a certain awe : perhaps they 
feared his tongue, which he occasion- 
ally exerted in pouring forth withering 
curses on those who incurred his dis- 
pleasure. He spoke perfectly g<x)d 
Spanish, and to my great surprise ex- 
cellent Basque, in which he was in the 
habit of conversing with Francisco, 
who, lolling from the window of my 
apartment, would exchange jests and 
witticisms with the prisoners in the 
court below, with whom he was a great 
favourite. 

One day when I was in the patio, to 
which I had free admission whenever 



234 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



[CHAP. XL. 



I pleased, by permission of the alcayde, 
I went up to the Frenchman, who stood 
in his usual posture, leaning against 
the wall, and offered him a cigar. I 
do not smoke myself, but it will never 
do to mix among the lower classes of 
Spain unless you have a cigar to present 
occsaionally. The man glared at me 
ferociously for a moment, and appeared 
to be on the point of refusing my offer 
with perhaps a hideous execration. I 
repeated it, however, pressing my hand 
against my heart, whereupon suddenly 
the grim feature relaxed, and with a 
genuine French grimace, and a low 
bow, he accepted the cigar, exclaiming, 
" Ah, Monsieur, pardon, mais c'estfaire 
trop d'honneur a un pauvre diable comme 
tnoi" 

" Not at all," said I, " we are both 
fellow-prisoners in a foreign land, and 
being so we ought to countenance each 
other. I hope that whenever I have 
need of your co-operation in this prison 
you will afford it me." 

" Ah, Monsieur," exclaimed the 
Frenchman in rapture, " vous avez Men 
raison ; ilfaut que les etrangers se don- 
nent la main dans ce . . . pays de bar- 
bares. TenezT he added in a whisper, 
" if you have any plan for escaping, 
and require my assistance, I have aai 
arm and a knife at your service : yon 
may trust me, and that is more than 
you could any of these sacres gens id," 
glancing fiercely round at his fellow 
prisoners. 

" You appear to be no friend to Spain 
and the Spaniards," said I. "I con- 
clude that you have experienced in- 
justice at their hands. For what have 
they immured you in this place ? " 

" Pour rien du tout, c'est a dire pour 
ane bagatelle ; but what can you expect 
from such animals ? For what are you 
imprisoned ? Did I not hear say for 
Gypsyism and sorcery ? " 

" Perhaps you are here for your opi- 
nions ? " 

" Ah, mon Dieu, non ; je ne suis pas 
homme a semblable betise. I have no 

opinions. Je faisois mats ce 

riimporte ; je me trouve id, ouje creve 
defaim." 

" I am sorry to see a brave man in 
such a distressed condition," said I ; 



" have you nothing to subsist upon be- 
yond the prison allowance ? Have von 
no friends ? " 

" Friends in this country? }^ou mock 
me; here one has no friends, unless 
one buy them. I am bursting with 
hunger : since I have been here I have 
sold the clothes off my back, that I 
might eat, for the prison allowance 
will not support nature, and of half of 
that we are robbed by the Batu, as they 
called the barbarian of a governor. 
Les haillons which now cover me were 
given by two or three devotees who 
sometimes visit here. I would sell 
them if they would fetch aught. I 
have not a sou, and for want of a few 
crowns I shall be garroted within a 
month unless I can escape, though, as 
I told you before, I have done nothing, 
a mere bagatelle ; but the worst crimes 
in Spain are poverty and misery." 

" I have heard you speak Basque; 
are you from French Biscay ? " 

" I am from Bordeaux, Monsieur : 
but I have lived much on the Landes 
and in Biscay, travaillant a mon metier. 
I see by your look that you wish to 
know my history. I shall not tell it 
you. It contains nothing that is re- 
markable. See, I have smoked out 
your cisar : you may give me another, 
and add a dollar if you please, nous 
ijonunes creves ici defaim, I would not 
say as much to a Spaniard, but I have a 
respect for your countrymen; I know 
much of them ; I have met them at 
Maida and the other place." * 

" Nothing remarkable in his his- 
tory ! " Why, or I greatly err, one 
chapter of his life, had it been written, 
would have unfolded more of the wild 
and wonderful than fifty volumes of 
what are in general called adventures 
and hairbreadth escapes by land and 
sea. A soldier ! what a tale could that 
man have told of marches and retreats, 
of battles lost and won, towns sacked, 
convents plundered ; perhaps he had 
seen the flames of Moscow ascending 
to the clouds, and had " tried his 
strength with nature in the wintry de- 
sert," pelted by the snow-storm, and 
bitten by the tremendous cold of Eus- 



* Perhaps Waterloo. 



CHAP. XL.] 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



235 



sia : and what could he mean by plying 
his trade in Biscay and the Larides, 
but that he had been a robber in those 
wild regions, of which the latter is more 
infamous for brigandage and crime 
than any other part of the French ter- 
ritory? Nothing remarkable in his 
history I then what history in the world 
contains aught that is remarkable ? 

I gave him the cigar and dollar : he 
received them, and then once more 
folding his arms, leaned back against 
the wall, and appeared to sink gradu- 
ally into one of his reveries. I looked 
him in the face and spoke to him, but 
he did not seem either to hear or see 
me. His mind was perhaps wandering 
in that dreadful valley of the shadow, 
into which the children of earth, whilst 
iiving, occasionally find their way: 
that dreadful region where there is no 
water, where hope dwelleth not, where 
nothing lives but the undying worm. 
This valley is the fac-simile of hell, and 
he who has entered it has experienced 
here on earth for a time what the spirits 
of the condemned are doomed to suffer 
through ages without end. 

He was executed about a month from 
this time. The bagatelle for which he 
was confined was robbery and murder 
by the following strange device. In 
concert with two others, he hired a 
large house in an unfrequented part of 
the town, to which place he would 
order tradesmen to convey valuable 
articles, which were to be paid for on 
delivery ; those who attended paid for 
their credulity with the loss of their 
lives and property. Two or three had 
fallen into the snare. I wished much 
to have had some private conversation 
with this desperate man, and in conse- 
quence begged of the alcayde to allow 
him to dine with me in my own apart- 
ment ; whereupon Monsieur Basom- 
pierre, for so I will take the liberty of 
calling the governor, his real name 
having escaped my memory, took off 
his hat, and, with his usual smile and 
bow, replied in purest Castilian, " Eng- 
lish Cavalier, and I hope I may add 
friend, pardon me, that it is quite out 
of my power to gratify your request, 
founded, I have no doubt, on the most 
admirable sentiments of philosophy. . 



Any of the other gentlemen beneath my 
care shall, at any time you desire it, 
be permitted to wait upon you in your 
apartment. I will even go so far as to 
cause their irons, if irons they wear, 
to be knocked off in order that they 
may partake of your refection with that 
comfort which is seemly and conve- 
nient : but to the gentleman in ques- 
tion I must object ; he is the most evil 
disposed of the whole of this family, 
and would most assuredly breed a fun- 
cion either in your apartment or in the 
corridor, by an attempt to escape. Ca- 
valier, me pesa, but I cannot accede to 
your request. But with respect to any 
other gentleman, I shall be most happy, 
even Balseiro, who, though strange 
things are told of him, still knows how 
to comport himself, and in whose be- 
haviour there is something both of 
formality and politeness, shall this day 
share your hospitality if you desire it, 
Cavalier/' 

Of Balseiro I have already had oc- 
casion to speak in the former part of 
this narrative. He was now confined 
in an upper story of the prison, in a 
strong room, with several other male- 
factors. He had been found guilty of 
aiding and assisting one Pepe Candelas, 
a thief of no inconsiderable renown, in 
a desperate robbery perpetrated in open 
daylight upon no less a personage than 
the queen's milliner, a Frenchwoman, 
whom they bound in her own shop, 
from which they took goods and money 
to the amount of five or six thousand 
dollars. Candelas had already expi- 
ated his crime on the scaffold, but 
Balseiro, who was said to be by far 
the worst ruffian of the two, had by 
dint of money, an ally which his com- 
rade did not possess, contrived to save 
his own life ; the punishment of death, 
to which he was originally sentenced, 
having been commuted to twenty years' 
hard labour in the presidio of Malaga. 
I visited this worthy, and conversed 
with him for some time through the 
wicket of the dungeon. He recognised 
me, and reminded me of the victory 
which I had once obtained over him, 
in the trial of our respective skill in the 
crabbed Gitano, at which Sevilla the 
bull-fighter was umpire. 



23; 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



[CHAP. XL, 



Upon my telling him that I was sorry 
to see him in such a situation, he re- 
plied that it was an affair of no manner 
of consequence, as within six weeks he 
should be conducted to the presidio, 
from which, with the assistance of a 
few ounces distributed amongst the 
guards, he could at any time escape. 
" But whither would you flee ? '- I de- 
manded. " Can I not flee to the land 
of the Moors/' replied Balseiro, " or to 
the English in the camp of Gibraltar ; 
or, if I prefer it, cannot I return to this 
foro (city), and live as I have hitherto 
done, choring the gachos (robbing the 
natives) ; what is to hinder me ? Ma- 
drid is large, and Balseiro has plenty 
of friends, especially among the lumias 
(women)" he added with a smile. I 
spoke to him of his ill-fated accomplice 
Candelas ; whereupon his face assumed 
a horrible expression. " I hope he is 
in torment," exclaimed the robber. 
The friendship of the unrighteous is 
never of long duration ; the two wor- 
thies had it seems quarrelled in prison : 
Candelas having accused the other of 
bad faith and an undue appropriation 
to his own use of the corpus delicti in 
various robberies which they had com- 
mitted in company. 

I cannot refrain from relating the ! 
subsequent history of this Balseiro. 
Shortly after my own liberation, too 
impatient to wait until the presidio 
should afford him a chance of regaining 
his liberty, he, in company with some 
other convicts, broke through the roof 
of the prison and escaped. He instantly 
resumed his former habits, committing 
several daring robberies, both within 
and without the walls of Madrid. I 
now come to his last, I may call it 
his master crime, a singular piece of 
atrocious villany. Dissatisfied with 
the proceeds of street robbery and 
house-breaking, he determined upon 
a bold stroke, by which he hoped 
to acquire money sufficient to support 
him in some foreign land in luxury and 
splendour. 

There was a certain comptroller of 
the queen's household, byname Gabiria, 
a Basque by birth, and a man of im- 
mense possessions : this individual had ' 
two sons, handsome boys, between | 



twelve and fourteen years of age, whom 
I had frequently seen, and indeed con- 
versed with, in my walks on the bank 
of the Manzanares, which was their 
favorite promenade. These children, 
at the time of which I am speaking, 
were receiving their education at a cer- 
tain seminary in Madrid. Balseiro, 
being well acquainted with the father's 
affection for his children, determined to 
make it subservient to his own rapacity. 
He formed a plan, which was neither 
more nor less than to steal the children, 
and not to restore them to their parent 
until he had received an enormous ran- 
som. This plan was partly carried into 
execution : two associates of Balseiro, 
well dressed, drove up to the door of 
the seminary where the children were, 
and, by means of a forged letter, pur- 
porting to be written by the father, in- 
duced the schoolmaster to permit the 
boys to accompany them for a country 
jaunt, as they pretended. About five 
leagues from Madrid Balseiro had a 
cave, in a wild unfrequented spot be- 
tween the Escurial and a village called 
Torre Lodones : to this cave the chil- 
dren were conducted, where they re- 
mained in durance under the custody of 
the two accomplices; Balseiro in the 
mean time remaining in Madrid for the 
purpose of conducting negotiations with 
the father. The father, however, was 
a man of considerable energy, and in- 
stead of acceding to the terms of the 
ruffian, communicated in a letter, in- 
stantly took the most vigorous measures 
for the recovery of his children. Horse 
and foot were sent out to scour the 
country, and in less than a week the 
children were found near the cave, hav- 
ing been abandoned by their keepers, 
who had taken fright on hearing of the 
decided measures which had been re- 
sorted to ; they were, however, speedily 
arrested and identified by the boys as 
their ravishers. Balseiro, perceiving 
that Madrid was becoming too hot to 
hold him, attempted to escape, but 
whether to the camp of Gibraltar or to 
the land of the Moor, I know not ; be 
was recognised, however, at a village 
in the neighbourhood of Madrid, and 
being apprehended, was forthwith con- 
ducted to the capital, where he shortly 



CHAP. XL.J 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



237 



after terminated his existence on the 
scaffold, with his two associates ; Ga- 
biria and his children being present at 
the ghastly scene, which they surveyed 
from a chariot at their ease. 

Such was the end of Balseiro, of 
whom I should certainly not have said 
so much, but for the affair of the crabbed 
Gitano. Poor wretch ! he acquired 
that species of immortality which is the 
object of the aspirations of many a 
Spanish thief, whilst vapouring about 
La the pa tio, dressed in the snowy linen ; 



the rape of the children of Gabiria made 
him at once the pet of the fraternity. 
A celebrated robbsr, with whom I was 
subsequently imprisoned at Seville, 
spoke his eulogy in the following 
manner : — 

" Balseiro was a very good subject, 
and an honest man. He was the head 
of our family, Don Jorge ; we shall 
never see his like again ; pity that he 
did not sack the parne {money), and 
escape to the camp of the Moor, Dob 
Jorge." 



CHAPTER XLI. 



Mar a Diaz — Priestly Vituperation — Antonio's Visit — Antonio at Service — A Scene — Benedict 
Mol — Wandering in Spain — The Four Evangiles. 



" Well," said I to Maria Diaz, on the 
third morning after my imprisonment, 
44 at hat do the people of Madrid say to 
this affair of mine ? " 

" I do not know what the people of 
Madrid in general say about it, probably 
they do not take much interest in it ; 
indeed, imprisonments at the present 
time are such common matters, that 
people seem to be quite indifferent to 
them : the priests, however, are in no 
slight commotion, and confess that they 
have committed an imprudent thing in 
causing you to be arrested by their 
friend the corregidor of Madrid." 

" How is that ? " I inquired. " Are 
they afraid that their friend will be 
punished-? " 

" Not so, Serior, " replied Maria ; 
<; slight grief indeed would it cause 
them, however great the trouble in 
^hich he had involved himself on their 
account : for this description of people 
have no affection, and woidd not care if 
all their friends were hanged, provided 
they themselves escaped. But they say 
that they have acted imprudently in 
sending you to prison, inasmuch as by 
so doing they have given you an oppor- 
tunity of carrying a plan of yours into 
execution. ' This fellow is a bribon,' 
say they, ' and has commenced tamper- 
ing with the prisoners , they have taught 
him their language, which he already 
speaks as well as if he were a son of the 
prison. As soon as he comes out he will 
publish a thieves' Gospel, which will be 
a still more dangerous affair than the 
Gypsy one, for the Gypsies are few, but 
the thieves ! woe is us ; we shall all be 
Lutheranized. What infamy, what 
rascality ! It was a trick of his own. 
He was always eager to get into prison 
and now, in evil hour, we have sen' f 



him there, el bribonazo ; there will be 
no safety for Spain until he is hanged ; 
he ought to be sent to the four hells, 
where at his leisure he might translate 
his fatal gospels into the language 01 
the demons/ " 

" I but said three words to the alcayde 
of the prison," said I, " relative to the 
jargon used by the children of the 
prison." 

" Three words ! Don Jorge ; and 
what may not be made out of three 
words ? You have lived amongst us to 
little purpose if you think we require 
more than three words to build a system 
with : those three words about the 
thieves and their tongue were quite suf- 
ficient to cause it to be reported through- 
out Madrid that you had tampered with 
the thieves, had learnt their language, 
and had written a book which was to 
overturn Spain, open to the English the 
gates of Cadiz, give Mendizabal all the 
church plate and jewels, and to Don 
Martin Luther the archiepiscopal pa- 
lace of Toledo. w 

Late in the afternoon of rather a 
gloomy day, as I was sitting in the 
apartment which the alcayde had al- 
lotted me, I heard a rap at the door. 
" Who is that ? " I exclaimed. " C'est 
moi, mon maitre," cried a well known 
voice, and presently in walked Antonio 
Buchini, dressed in the same style as 
when I first introduced him to the rea- 
der, namely, in a handsome but rather 
faded French surtout, vest, and panta- 
loons, with a diminutive hat in one 
hand, and holding in the other a long 
and slender cane. 

" Bon jour, mon maitre, " said the 
Greek; then glancing around the apart- 
ment, he continued, " I am glad to find 
you so well lodged. If I remember 



CHAF. XLT.j 



THE BIBLE 



IN SPAIN. 



239 



right, mon maitre, we have slept in 
worse places during our wanderings in 
Galicia and Castile." 

" You are quite right, Antonio," I re- 
plied ; " I am very comfortable. Well, 
this is kind of you to visit your ancient 
master, more especially now he is in the 
toils ; I hope, however, that dv so doing 
you will not offend your present em- 
ployer. His dinner hour must be at 
hand ; why are not you in the kitchen ?" 

" Of what employer are you speaking, 
mon maitre ? " demanded Antonio. 

" Of whom should I speak but Count 
* * * *, to serve whom you abandoned 
mt>, being tempted by an offer of a 
monthly salary less by four dollars than 
that which I was giving you ?" 

" Your worship brings an affair to 
my remembrance which I had long 
since forgotten. I have at present no 
other master than yourself, Monsieur 
Georges, for I shall always consider you 
as my master, though I may not enjoy 
the felicity of waiting upon you." 

" You have left the Count then," said 
I, " after remaining three days in the 
house, according to your usual prac- 
tice." 

" Not three hours, mon maitre," re- 
plied Antonio ; " but I will tell you the 
circumstances. Soon after I left you I 
repaired to the house of Monsieur le 
Comte; I entered the kitchen, and 
looked about me. I cannot say that I 
had much reason to be dissatisfied with 
what I saw : the kitchen was large and 
commodious, and everything appeared 
neat and in its proper place, and the 
domestics civil and courteous; yet I 
know not how it was, the idea at once 
rushed into my mind that the house was 
by no means suited to me, and that I 
was not destined to stay there long ; so 
hanging my haversac upon a nail, and 
sitting down on the dresser, I com- 
menced singing a Greek song, as I am 
in the habit of doing when dissatisfied. 
The domestics came about me asking 
questions ; I made them no answer, 
however, and continued singing till the 
hour for preparing the dinner drew 
nigh, when I suddenly sprang on the 
floor, and was not long in thrusting 
them all out of the kitchen, telling them 
that they had no business there at such 



a season ; I then at once entered upon 
my functions. I exerted myself, mon 
maitre, I exerted myself, and was pre- 
paring a repast which would have done 
me honour: there was, indeed, some 
company expected that day, and I there- 
fore determined to show my employer 
that nothing was beyond the capacity of 
his Greek cook. Eh Men, mon maitre, 
all was going on remarkably well, and 
I felt almost reconciled to my new 
situation, when who should rush into 
the kitchen but le fits de la maison, my 
young master, an ugly urchin of thir- 
teen years or thereabouts : he bore in 
his hand a manchet of bread, which, 
after prying about for a moment, he 
proceeded to dip in the pan where some 
delicate woodcocks were in the course 
of preparation. You know, mon maitre, 
how sensitive I am on certain points, 
for I am no Spaniard, but a Greek, and 
have principles of honour. Without a 
momentf s hesitation I took my young 
master by the shoulders, and hurrying 
him to the door,^ dismissed him in the 
manner which he deserved : squalling 
loudly, he hurried away to the upper 
part of the house. I continued my 
labours, but ere three minutes had 
elapsed, I heard a dreadful confusion 
above stairs, on faisoit line horrible tin- 
tamarre, and I could occasionally dis- 
tinguish oaths and execrations : pre- 
sently doors were flung open, and there 
was an awful rushing down stairs, a 
gallopade. It was my lord the count, 
his lady, and my young master, followed 
by a regular bevy of women and filles de 
chambre. Far in advance of all, however, 
was my lord with a drawn sword in his 
hand, shouting, ' Where is the wretch 
who has dishonoured my son, where is 
he ? He shall die forthwith.' I know 
not how it was, mon maitre, but I just 
then chanced to spill a large bowl of 
garbanzos, which were intended for the 
puchera of the following day. They 
were uncooked, and were as hard as 
marbles ; these I dashed upon the floor, 
and the greater part of them fell just 
about the doorway. Eh bien, mon 
maitre. in another moment in bounded 
the count, his eyes sparkling like coals, 
and, as I have already said, with a ra- 
pier in his hand. ' Tenez, gueu.v enrage,* 

E 



240 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



[chap. xli« 



he screamed, making a desperate lunge 
at me ; but ere the words were out of his 
mouth, his foot slipping on the pease, 
he fell forward with great violence at 
his full length, and his weapon flew out 
of his hand, comme une fleche. You 
ohould have heard the outcry which en- 
sued — there was a terrible confusion : 
the count lay upon the floor to all ap- 
pearance stunned; I took no notice, 
however, continuing busily employed. 
They at last raised him up, and assisted 
him till he came to himself, though 
very pale and much shaken. He asked 
for his sword : all eyes were now turned 
upon me, and I saw that a general at- 
tack was meditated. Suddenly I took a 
large caserolle from the fire in which 
various eggs were frying ; this I held 
out at arm's length, peering at it along 
my arm as if I were curiously inspect- 
ing it ; my right foot advanced and the 
other thrown back as far as possible. 
All stood still, imagining, doubtless, that 
I was about to perform some grand 
.operation, and so I was : for suddenly 
the sinister leg advancing, with one 
rapid coup de pied, I sent the caserolle 
and its contents flying over my head, so 
that they struck the wall far behind me. 
This was to let them know that I had 
broken my staff and had shaken the 
dust off my feet ; so casting upon the 
count the peculiar glance of the Sceirote 
cooks when they feel themselves in- 
sulted, and extending my mouth on 
either side nearly as far as the ears, I 
took .down my haversac and departed, 
singing as I went the song of the an- 
cient Demos, who, when dying, asked 
for his supper, and water wherewith to 
lave his hands : 

f O y\ios i/3aa-l\eve, k\ 6 Ayjy.os diard^L. 
2upT€ ? Tcaid'A /ulov, 'V to vepbv ^oj/jI va 
tf'dr a7r6\f/e. 

And in this manner, mon maitre, I left 
the house of the Count of * * * *." 

Myself. — And a fine account you have 
given of yourself ; by your own con- 
fession, your behaviour was most atro- 
cious. Were it not for the many marks 
of courage and fidelity which you have 
exhibited in my service, I would from 
this moment hold no farther communi- 
cation with you. 



Antonio. — Mais qxCest ce que vous 
voudriez, mon maitre^ Am I not a 
Greek, full of honour and sensibility ? 
Would you have the cooks of Sceira and 
Stan; bul submit to be insulted here in 
Spain by the sons of counts rushing into 
the temple with manchets of bread? 
Non, non, mon maitre, you are too 
noble to require that, and what is more, 
too just. But we will talk of other 
things. Mon maitre, I came not alone ; 
there is one now waiting in the corridor 
anxious to speak to you. 

Myself — Who is it ? 

Antonio. — One whom you have met, 
mon maitre, in various and strange 
places. 

Myself.— But who is it ? 

Antonio. — One who will come to a 
strange end, for so it is written. The 
most extraordinary of all the Swiss, he 
of Saint James, — Der schatz graber. 

Myself— Not Benedict Mol ? 

" Yaw, mein lieber herr" said Bene- 
dict, pushing open the door which stood 
ajar ; "it is myself. I met Herr Anton 
in the street, and hearing that you were in 
this place, I came with him to visit you." 

Myself. — And in the name of ail that 
is singular, how is it that I see you in 
Madrid again ? I thought that by this 
time you were returned to your own 
country. 

Benedict. — Fear not, lieber herr, I 
shall return thither in good time ; but 
not on foot, but with mules and coach. 
The schatz is still yonder, waiting to be 
dug up, and now I have better hope 
than ever ; plenty of friends, plenty of 
money. See you not how I am dressed, 
lieber herr ? 

And verily his habiliments were of a 
much more respectable appearance than 
any which he had sported on former 
occasions. His coat and pantaloons, 
which were of light green, were nearly 
new. On his head he still wore an An- 
dalusian hat, but the present one was 
neither old nor shabby, but fresh and 
glossy, and of immense altitude of cone ; 
whilst in his hand, instead of the ragged 
staff which I had observed at Saint 
James and Oviedo, he now carried a 
huge bamboo rattan, surmounted by the 
grim head of either a bear or lion, cu» , 
riously cut out of pewter. 



CHAP. XLI.J 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



241 



" You have all the appearance of a 
treasure-seeker returned from a success- 
ful expedition," I exclaimed. 

" Or rather," interrupted Antonio, 
" of one who has ceased to trade on his 
own bottom, and now goes seeking trea- 
sures at the cost and expense of others/ ' 

I questioned the Swiss minutely con- 
cerning his adventures since I last saw 
him, when I left him at Oviedo to pur- 
sue my route to Santander. From his 
answers I gathered that he had followed 
me to the latter place.; he was, however, 
a long time in performing the journey, 
being weak from hunger and privation. 
At Santander he could hear no tidings 
of me, and by this time the trifle which 
he had received from me was completely 
exhausted. He now thought of making 
his way into France, but was afraid to 
venture through the disturbed provinces, 
lest he should fall into the hands of the 
Carlists, who he conceived might shoot 
him as a spy. No one relieving him at 
Santander, he departed and begged his 
way till he found himself in some part 
of Aragon, but where he scarcely knew. 
" My misery was so great," said Ben- 
net, " that I nearly lost my senses. Oh, 
the horror of wandering about the sa- 
vage hills and wide plains of Spain, 
without money and without hope ! 
Sometimes I became desperate, when I 
found myself amongst rocks and bar- 
rancos, perhaps after having tasted no 
food from sunrise to sunset, and then I 
would raise my staff towards the sky 
and shake it, crying, lieber herr Gott, 
ach lieber herr Gott, you must help me 
now or never ; if you tarry I am lost ; 
you must help me now, now ! And 
once, when I was raving in this manner, 
methought I heard a voice, nay I am 
sure I heard it, sounding from the hol- 
low of a rock, clear and strong ; and it 
cried, i Der schatz, der schatz, it is not 
yet dug up ; to Madrid, to Madrid. The 
way to the schatz is through Madrid.' 
And then the thought of the schatz once 
more rushed into my mind, and I re- 
flected how happy I might be, could I 
but dig up the schatz. No more beg- 
ging then ; no more wandering amidst 
horrid mountains and deserts ; so I 
brandished my staff, and my body and 
my limbs became full of new and sur- 



prising strength, and I strode forward, 
and was not long before I reached the 
high road ; and then I begged and bet- 
tied as I best could, until I reached 
Madrid." 

" And what has befallen you since you 
reached Madrid?" I inquired. "Did 
you find the treasure in the streets ? " 

On a sudden Bennet became reserved 
and taciturn, which the more surprised 
me, as, up to the present moment, he 
had at all times been remarkably com- 
municative with respect to his affairs 
and prospects. From what I could 
learn from his broken hints and inuen- 
dos, it appeared that, since his arrival 
at Madrid, he had fallen into the hands 
of certain people who had treated him 
with kindness, and provided him both 
with money and clothes ; not from dis- 
interested motives, however, but having 
an eye to the treasure. " They expect 
great things from me," said the Swiss ; 
" and perhaps, after all, it would have 
been more profitable to have dug up the 
treasure without their assistance, always 
provided that were possible." Who 
his new friends were he either knew not 
or would not tell me, save that they 
were people in power. He said some- 
thing about Queen Christina and an 
oath which he had taken in the pre- 
sence of a bishop on the crucifix and 
" the four Evangiles." I thought that 
his head was turned, and forbore ques- 
tioning. Just before taking his depar- 
ture, he observed " Lieber herr, pardon 
me for not being quite frank towards 
you, to whom I owe so much, but I 
dare not ; I am not now my own man. 
It is, moreover, an evil tiring at all 
times to say a word about treasure 
before you have secured it. There was 
once a man in my own country who 
dug deep into the earth until he arrived 
at a copper vessel which contained a 
schatz. Seizing it by the handle, he 
merely exclaimed in his transport, ' I 
have it that was enough, however : 
down sank the kettle, though the handle 
remained in his grasp. That was all 
he ever got for his trouble and digging. 
Farewell, lieber herr, I shall speedily 
be sent back to Saint James to dig up 
the schatz : but I will visit you ere I 
go — farewell." 

R 2 



[ 242 



CHAPTER XLIL 

Liberation from Prison — The Apology — Human Nature — The Greek s Return — Church of 
Rome — Light of Scripture — Archbishop of Toledo — An Interview — Stones of Price — A 
Resolution — The Foreign Language— Benedict's Farewell — Treasure Hunt at ComposUlla 
— Truth and Fiction. 



I remained about three weeks in the 
prison of Madrid, and then left it. If I 
had possessed any pride, or harboured 
any rancour against the party who had 
consigned me to durance, the manner in 
which I was restored to liberty would 
no doubt hare been highly gratifying 
to those evil passions ; the government 
having acknowledged, by a document 
transmitted to Sir George, that I had 
been incarcerated on insufficient grounds, 
and that no stigma attached itself to me 
from the imprisonment I had under- 
gone ; at the same time agreeing to de- 
fray all the expenses to which I had 
been subjected throughout the progress 
of this affair. 

It moreover expressed its willingness 
to dismiss the individual owing to 
whose information I had been first ar- 
rested, namely, the corchete or police 
officer who had visited me in my apart- 
ments in the Calle de Santiago, and 
behaved himself in the manner which I 
have described in a former chapter. I 
declined, however, to avail myself of 
this condescension of the government, 
more especially as I was informed that 
the individual in question had a wife 
and family, who, if he were disgraced, 
would be at once reduced to want. I 
moreover considered that, in what he 
had done and said, he had probably 
only obeyed some private orders which 
he had received : I therefore freely for- 
gave him, and if he does not retain his 
situation at the present moment, it is 
certainly no fault of mine. 

I likewise refused to accept any com- 
pensation for my expenses, which were 
considerable. It is probable that many 
nersons in my situation would have 



acted very differently in this respect, 
and I am far from saying that herein I 
acted discreetly or laudably ; but I was 
averse to receive money from people 
such as those of which the Spanish go- 
vernment was composed, people whom 
I confess I heartily despised, and I was 
unwilling to afford them an opportunity 
of saying that after they had imprisoned 
an Englishman unjustly, and without a 
cause, he condescended to receive money 
at their hands. In a word, I confess 
my own weakness ; I was willing that 
they should continue my debtors, and 
have little doubt that they had not the 
slightest objection to remain so: they 
kept their money, and probably laughed 
in their sleeves at my want of common 
sense. 

The heaviest loss which resulted from 
my confinement, and for which no in- 
demnification could be either offered or 
received, was in the death of my affec- 
tionate and faithful Basque Francisco, 
who, having attended me during the 
whole time of my imprisonment, caught 
the pestilential typhus or gaol fever, 
which was then raging in the Carcel de 
la Corte, of which he expired within a 
few days subsequent to my liberation. 
His death occurred late one evening; 
the next morning, as I was lying in bed 
ruminating on my loss, and wondering 
of what nation my next servant would 
be, I heard a noise which seemed to be 
that of a person employed vigorously in 
cleaning boots or shoes, and at intervals 
a strange discordant voice singing 
snatches of a song in some unknown 
language : wondering who it could be, 
I rang the bell. 

" Did you ring, mon mavtre?' 'said 



CHAP. XLII.J 



THE BIBLE 



IN SPAIN. 



243 



Antonio, appearing at the door with one 
of his arms deeply buried in a boot. 

" I certainly did ring," said I, " but 
I scarcely expected that you would 
have answered the summons." 

" Mais pourquoi non, mon mattre ? " 
cried Antonio. " Who should serve 
you now but myself? JV'est pas que le 
sieur Francois est mort ? And did I not 
say, as soon as I heard of his departure, 
I shall return to my functions chez mon 
mattre, Monsieur Georges ? " 

" I suppose you had no other employ- 
ment, and on that account you came." 

" Au contraire, mon mattre," replied 
the Greek, " I had just engaged myself 
at the house of the Duke of Frias, from 
whom I was to receive ten dollars per 
month more than I shall accept from 
your worship ; but on hearing that you 
were without a domestic, I forthwith 
told the Duke, though it was late at 
night, that he would not suit me, and 
here I am." 

" I shall not receive you in this man- 
ner," said I ; " return to the Duke, 
apologise for your behaviour, request 
your dismission in a regular way ; and 
then, if his grace is willing to part with 
you, as will most probably be the case, 
I shall be happy to avail myself of your 
services." 

It is reasonable to expect that after 
having been subjected to an imprison- 
ment which my enemies themselves 
admitted to be unjust, I should in fu- 
ture experience more liberal treatment 
at their hands than that which they had 
hitherto adopted towards me. The sole 
object of my ambition at this time was 
to procure toleration for the sale of the 
Gospel in this unhappy and distracted 
kingdom, and to have attained this end 
I would not only have consented to 
twenty such imprisonments in succes- 
sion as that which I had undergone, 
but would gladly have sacrificed life 
itself. I soon perceived, however, that 
I was likely to gain nothing by my in- 
carceration; on the contrary, I had 
become an object of personal dislike to 
the government since the termination 
of this affair, which it was probable I 
had never been before ; their pride and 
vanity were humbled by the concessions 
which they had been obliged to make 



in order to avoid a rupture with Eng- 
land. This dislike they were now de- 
termined to gratify, by thwarting my 
views as much as possible. I had an 
interview with Ofalia on the subject 
uppermost in my mind ; I found him 
morose and snappish. " It will be for 
your interest to be still," said he ; " be- 
ware ! you have already thrown the 
whole corte into confusion ; beware, I 
repeat : another time you may not es- 
cape so easily." " Perhaps not," I re- 
plied, " and perhaps I do not wish it ; 
it is a pleasant thing to be persecuted 
for the Gospel's sake. I now take the 
liberty of inquiring whether, if I at- 
tempt to circulate the word of God. I 
am to be interrupted." " Of course," 
exclaimed Ofalia ; " the church forbids 
such circulation." " I shall make the 
attempt, however," I exclaimed. " Do 
you mean what you say ? " demanded 
Ofalia, arching his eyebrows and elon- 
gating his mouth. " Yes." I continued, 
" I shall make the attempt in every 
village in Spain to which I can pene- 
trate." 

Throughout my residence in Spain 
the clergy were the party from which I 
experienced the strongest opposition ; 
and it was at their instigation that the 
government originally adopted those 
measures which prevented any exten- 
sive circulation of the sacred volume 
through the land. I shall not detain 
the course of my narrative with reflec- 
tions as to the state of a church, which 
though it pretends to be founded on 
Scripture, would yet keep the light of 
Scripture from all mankind, if possible. 
But Rome is fully aware that she is not 
a Christian church, and having no 
desire to become so, she acts prudently 
in keeping from the eyes of her followers 
the page which would reveal to them 
the truths of Christianity. Her agents 
and minions throughout Spain exerted 
themselves to the utmost to render my 
humble labours abortive, and to vilify 
the work which I was attempting to 
disseminate. All the ignorant and fa- 
natical clergy (the great majority) were 
opposed to it, and all those who were 
anxious tc keep on good terms with the 
court of Kome were loud in their cry 
, against it. There was, however, one 



244 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



[chap, xlii 



section of the clergy, a small one, it is 
true, rather favourably disposed towards 
the circulation of the Gospel, though by 
no means inclined to make any par- 
ticular sacrifice for the accomplishment 
of such an end: these were such as 
professed liberalism, which is supposed 
to mean a disposition to adopt any 
reform both in civil and church matters, 
which may be deemed conducive to the 
weal of the country. Not a few 
amongst the Spanish clergy were sup- 
porters of this principle, or at least de- 
clared themselves so, some doubtless for 
their own advancement, hoping to turn 
the spirit of the times to their own per- 
sonal profit ; others, it is to be hoped, 
from conviction, and a pure love of the 
principle itself. Amongst these were 
to be found, at the time of which I am 
speaking, several bishops. It is worthy 
of remark, however, that of all these 
not one but owed his office, not to the 
Pope, who disowned them one and all, 
but to the Queen Eegent, the professed 
head of liberalism throughout all Spain. 
It is not, therefore, surprising that men 
thus circumstanced should feel rather 
disposed than not to countenance any 
measure or scheme at all calculated to 
favour the advancement of liberalism ; 
and surely such an one was the circula- 
tion of the Scriptures. I derived but 
little assistance from their good will, 
however, supposing that they enter- 
tained some, as they never took any 
decided stand, nor lifted up their voices 
in a bold and positive manner, denounc- 
ing the conduct of those who would 
withhold the light of Scripture from 
the world. At one time I hoped by 
their instrumentality to accomplish 
much in Spain in the Gospel cause ; but 
I was soon undeceived, and became 
convinced that reliance on what they 
would effect was like placing the hand 
on a staff of reed which will only lace- 
rate the flesh. More than once some 
of them sent messages to me, expressive 
of their esteem, and assuring me how 
much the cause of the Gospel was dear 
to their hearts. I even received an in- 
timation that a visit from me would be 
agreeable to the Archbishop of Toledo, 
the Primate of Spain. 

Of this personage I can say but little. 



his early history being entirely un- 
known to me. At the death of Ferdi- 
nand, I believe, he was Bishop of Mal- 
lorca, a small insignificant see, of very 
scanty revenues, which perhaps he had 
no objection to exchange for one more 
wealthy ; it is probable, however, that 
had he proved a devoted servant of the 
Pope, and consequently a supporter of 
legitimacy, he would have continued 
to the day of his death to fill the epis- 
copal chair of Mallorca ; but he was 
said to be a liberal, and the Queen 
Regent thought fit to bestow upon him 
the dignity of Archbishop of Toledo, 
by which he became the head of the 
Spanish church. The Pope, it is true, 
had refused to ratify the nomination, 
on which account all good Catholics 
were still bound to consider him as 
Bishop of Mallorca, and not as Primate 
of Spain. He however received the 
revenues belonging to the see, which, 
though only a shadow of what they 
originally were, were still considerable, 
and lived in the primate's palace at 
Madrid, so that if he were not arch- 
bishop de jure, he was what many 
people would have considered much 
better, archbishop de facto. 

Hearing that this personage was a 
personal friend of Ofalia, who was said 
to entertain a very high regard for 
him, I determined upon paying him a 
visit, and accordingly one morning 
betook myself to the palace in which 
he resided. I experienced no difficulty 
in obtaining an interview, being forth- 
with conducted to his presence by a 
common kind of footman, an Asturian, 
I believe, whom I found seated on a 
stone bench in the entrance-hall. When 
I was introduced, the Archbishop was 
alone, seated behind a table in a large 
apartment, a kind of drawing-room ; 
he was plainly dressed, in a black cas- 
sock and silken cap; on his finger 5 
however, glittered a superb amethyst, 
the lustre of which was truly dazzling. 
He rose for a moment as I advanced, 
and motioned me to a chair with his 
hand. He might be about sixty years 
of age; his figure was very tall, 
but he stooped considerably, evidently 
from feebleness, and the pallid hue of 
ill health overspread his emaciated 



CHAP. XLII.J 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



245 



features. When lie had reseated him- 
self, he dropped his head, and appeared 
to be looking on the table before him. 

" I suppose your lordship knows who 
I am?" said I, at last breaking silence. 

The Archbishop bent his head to- 
wards the right shoulder, in a some- 
what equivocal manner, but said no- 
thing. 

"I am he whom the Manolos of 
Madrid call Don Jorgito el Ingles ; I 
am just come out of prison, whither I 
was sent for circulating my Lord's 
Gospel in this kingdom of Spain. " 

The Archbishop made the same 
equivocal motion with his head, but 
still said nothing. 

" I was informed that your lordship 
was desirous of seeing me, and on that 
account I have paid you this visit." 

" I did not send for you," said the 
Archbishop, suddenly raising his head 
with a startled look. 

" Perhaps not : I was, however, 
given to understand that my presence 
would be agreeable ; but as that does 
not seem to be the case, I will leave." 

" Since you are come, I am very glad 
to see you." 

" I am very glad to hear it," said I, 
reseating myself; " and since I am 
here, we may as well talk of an all- 
important matter, the circulation of 
the Scripture. Does your lordship see 
any way by which an end so desirable 
might be brought about ? " 

" No," said the Archbishop faintly. 

" Does not your lordship think that 
a knowledge of the Scripture would 
work inestimable benefit in these 
realms ? " 

" I don't know/'' 

" Is it probable that the government 
may be induced to consent to the cir- 
culation ? " 

" How should I know ? " and the 
Archbishop looked me in the face. 

I looked in the face of the Arch- 
bishop ; there was an expression of 
helplessness in it, which almost amount- 
ed to dotage. " Dear me," thought I, 
" whom have I come to on an errand 
like mine ? Poor man, you are not 
fitted to play the part of Martin Luther, 
and least of all in Spain. I wonder 
why your friends selected you to be 



Archbishop of Toledo ; they thought 
perhaps that you would do neither good 
nor harm, and made choice of you, as 
they sometimes do primates in my own 
country, for your incapacity. You do 
not seem very happy in your present 
situation ; no very easy stall this of 
yours. You were more comfortable, 
I trow, when you were the poor Bishop 
of Mallorca ; could enjoy your puchera 
then without fear that the salt would 
tarn out sublimate. No fear then of 
being smothered in your bed. A siesta 
is a pleasant thing when one is not sub- 
ject to be disturbed by 4 the sudden 
fear.' I wonder whether they have 
poisoned you already," I continued, 
half aloud, as I kept my eyes fixed on 
his countenance, which methought wag 
becoming ghastly. 

" Did you speak, Don Jorge ? " de- 
manded the Archbishop. 

" That is a fine brilliant on your 
lordship's hand," said I. 

" You are fond of brilliants, Don 
Jorge," said the Archbishop, his fea- 
tures brightening up ; " vaya ! so am 
I; they are pretty things. Do you 
understand them ? " 

" I do," said I, " and I never saw a 
finer brilliant than your own, one ex- 
cepted ; it belonged to an acquaintance 
of mine, a Tartar Khan. He did not 
bear it on his finger, however ; it stood 
in the frontlet of his horse, where it 
shone like a star. He called it Daoud 
Scharr, which, being interpreted, mean- 
eth light of war" 

" Vaya ! " said the Archbishop, 
" how very extraordinary ! I am glad 
you are fond of brilliants, Don Jorge. 
Speaking: of horses, reminds me that I 
have frequently seen you on horseback. 
Vaya ! how you ride I it is dangerous 
to be in your way/' 

" Is your lordship fond of equestrian 
exercise ? " 

" By no means, Don Jorge ; I do 
not like horses ; it is not the practice 
of the church to ride on horseback. 
We prefer mules ; they are the quieter 
animals : I fear horses, they kick so 
violently." 

" The kick of a horse is death," said 
I, " if it" touches a vital part. I am 
not, however, of your lordship's opinion 



246 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN, 



[chap, xl.il 



with respect to mules: a good ginete 
may retain his seat on a horse however 
vicious, but a mule — vaya ! when a 
false mule tira por detras, I do not 
believe that the Father of the Church 
himself could keep the saddle a moment, 
however sharp his bit." 

As I was going away, I said, "And 
with respect to the Gospel, your lord- 
ship, what am I to understand ? " 

" No se," said the Archbishop, again 
bending his head towards the right 
shoulder, whilst his features resumed 
their former vacant expression. And 
thus terminated my interview with the 
Archbishop of Toledo. 

" It appears to me," said I to Maria 
Diaz, on returning home ; " it appears 
Co me, Marequita mia, that if the Gos- 
pei in Spain is to wait for toleration 
until these liberal bishops and arch- 
bishops come forward boldly in its be- 
half, it will h^ve to tarry a considerable 
time." 

" I am much of your worship's opi- 
nion," answered Maria; " a fine thing, 
truly, it would be to wait till they ex- 
erted themselves in its behalf. Ca ! 
the idea makes me smile : was your 
worship ever innocent enough to sup- 
pose that they cared one tittle about the 
Gospel or its cause ? Vaya ! they are 
true priests, and had only self-interest 
in view in their advances to you. The 
Holy Father disowns them, and they 
would now fain, by awaking his fears 
and jealousy, bring him to some terms ; 
but let him once acknowledge them, 
and see whether they would admit you 
to their palaces or hold any intercourse 
with you : ' Forth with the fellow/ 
they would say ; ' vaya ! is he not a 
Lutheran ? Is he not an enemy to the 
church ? Ala horca, d la Jiorca I \ I 
know this family better than you do, 
Don Jorge." 

" It is useless tarrying," said I ; " no- 
thing, however, can be done in Madrid. 
I cannot sell the work at the despacho, 
and I have just received intelligence 
that all the copies exposed for sale in 
the libraries in the different parts of 
Spain which I visited have been se- 
questrated by order of the government. 
My resolution is taken : I shall mount 
my horses, which are neighing in the 



stable, and betake myself to the vil- 
lages and plains of dusty Spain. Al 
campo, al campo : 6 Eide forth because 
of the word of righteousness, and thy 
right hand shall show th*e terrible 
things.' I will ride forth, Maria." 

" Your worship can do no better ; 
and allow me here to tell you, that for 
every single book you might sell in a 
despacho in the city, you may dispose 
of one hundred amongst the villages, 
always provided you offer them cheap : 
for in the country money is rather scant. 
Vaya ! should I not know ? am I not 
a villager myself, a villana from the 
Sagra ? Eide forth, therefore : your 
horses are neighing in the stall, as your 
worship says, and you might almost 
have added that the Senor Antonio is 
neighing in the house. He says he 
has nothing to do, on which account he 
is once more dissatisfied and unsettled. 
He finds fault with everything, but 
more particularly with myself. This 
morning I saluted him, and he made 
me no reply, but twisted his mouth in a 
manner very uncommon in this land of 
Spain." 

" A thought strikes me," said I ; 
" you have mentioned the Sagra ; why 
should not I commence my labours 
amongst the villages of that district ? " 

" Your worship can do no better," 
replied Maria ; " the harvest is just 
over there, and you will find the people 
comparatively unemployed, with leisure 
to attend and listen to you ; and if you 
follow my advice, you will establish 
yourself at Villa Seca, in the house of 
my fathers, where at present lives my 
lord and husband. Go, therefore, to 
Villa Seca in the first place, and from 
thence you can sally forth with the 
Senor Antonio upon your excursions. 
Per ad venture, my husband will accom- 
pany you ; and if so, you will find him 
highly useful. The people of Villa 
Seca are civil and courteous, your wor- 
ship; when they address a foreigner, 
they speak to him at the top of their 
voice and in Gallegan." 

" In Gallegan ! " I exclaimed. 

" They all understand a few words 
of Gallegan, which they have acquired 
from the mountaineers, who occasion- 
ally assist tliem in cutting the harvest, 



CHAP. XLII.] 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



247 



and as Gallegan is the only foreign 
language they know, they deem it but 
polite to address a foreigner in that 
tongue. Vaya ! it is not a bad village, 
that of Villa Seca, nor are the people ; 
the only ill-conditioned person living 
there is his reverence the curate." 

I was not long in making prepara- 
tions for my enterprise. A consider- 
able stock of Testaments were sent for- 
ward by an arriero, I myself followed 
the next day. Before my departure, 
however, I received a visit from Bene- 
dict MoL 

" I am come to bid you farewell, 
lieber herr; to-morrow I return to 
Compostella." 

" On what errand ? " 

" To dig up the schatz, lieber herr. 
For what else should I go ? For what 
have I lived until now, but that I may 
dig up the schatz in the end ? " 

" You might have lived for something 
better," I exclaimed. " I wish you 
success, however. But on what grounds 
do you hope ? Have you obtained per- 
mission to dig ? Surely you remember 
your former trials in Galicia ? " 

" I have not forgotten them, lieber 
herr, nor the journey to Oviedo, nor 
4 the seven acorns,' nor the fight with 
death in the barranco. But I must 
accomplish my destiny. I go now to 
Galicia, as is becoming a Swiss, at the 
expense of the government, with coach 
and mule, I mean in the galera. I am 
to have all the help I require, so that I 
can dig down to the earth's centre if I 
think fit. I — but I must not tell your 
worship, for I am sworn on 4 the four 
Evangiles' not to tell." 

44 Well, Benedict, I have nothing to 
say, save that I hope you will succeed 
in your digging." 

44 Thank you, lieber herr, thank you ; 
and now farewell. Succeed ! I shall 
succeed ! " Here he stopped short, 
started, and looking upon me with an 
expression of countenance almost wild, 
he exclaimed : 44 Heiliger Gott ! I for- 
got one thing. Suppose I should not 
find the treasure after all." 

44 Very rationally said ; pity, though, 
that you did not think of that contin- 
gency till now. I tell you, my friend, 
that you have engaged *a a most de- 



sperate undertaking. It is true that you 
may find a treasure. The chances are, 
however, a hundred to one that you do 
not, and in that event what will be 
your situation ? You will be looked 
upon as an impostor, and the conse- 
quences may be horrible to you. Ke- 
meniber where you are, and amongst 
whom you are. The Spaniards are a 
credulous people, but let them once 
suspect that they have been imposed 
upon, and above all laughed at, and 
their thirst for vengeance knows no 
limit. Think not that your innocence 
will avail you. That you are no im- 
postor I feel convinced ; but they would 
never believe it. It is not too late. 
Eeturn your fine clothes and magic 
rattan to those from whom you had 
them. Put on your old garments, 
grasp your ragged staff, and come with 
me to the Sagra, to assist in circulating 
the illustrious Gospel amongst the rus- 
tics on the Tagus' bank." 

Benedict mused for a moment, then 
shaking his head, he cried, " No, no, I 
must accomplish my destiny. The 
schatz is not yet dug up. So said the 
voice in the barranco. To-morrow 
to Compostella. I shall find it— the 
schatz — it is still there — it must be 
there." 

He went, and I never saw him more. 
What I heard, however, was extraor- 
dinary enough. It appeared that the 
government had listened to his tale, 
and had been so struck with Bennti's 
exaggerated description of the buried 
treasure, that they imagined that, by 
a little trouble and outlay, gold and 
diamonds might be dug up at Saint 
James sufficient to enrich themselves 
and to pay off the national debt of Spain. 
The Swiss returned to Compostella 
44 like a duke," to use his own words. 
The affair, which had at first been kept 
a profound secret, was speedily di- 
vulged. It was, indeed, resolved that 
the investigation, which involved con- 
sequences of so much importance, 
should take place in a manner the most 
public and imposing. A solemn fes- 
tival was drawing nigh, and it was 
deemed expedient that the search should 
take place upon that day. The day 
arrived. All the bells in Compostelfa 



243 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



j CHAP. XLII. 



pealed, The whole populace thronged 
from their houses, a thousand troops 
were drawn up in the square, the ex- 
pectation of all was wound up to the 
highest pitch. A procession directed 
its course to the church of San Roque ; 
at its head was the captain-general and 
the Swiss, brandishing in his hand the 
magic rattan, close behind walked the 
meiga, the Gallegan witch-wife, by 
whom the treasure-seeker had been 
originally guided in the search ; nu- 
merous masons brought up the rear, 
bearing implements to break up the 
ground. The procession enters the 
church, they pass through it in solemn 
march, they find themselves in a vaulted 
passage. Tne Swiss looks around. 
" Dig here/' said he suddenly. " Yes, 
dig here," said the meiga. The masons 
labour, the floor is broken up, — a hor- 
rible and fetid odour arises 

Enough ; no treasure was found, 
and my warning to the unfortunate 
Swiss turned out but too prophetic. He 
was forthwith seized and flung into the 
horrid prison of Saint James, amidst 
the execrations of thousands, who would 
have gladly torn him limb from limb. 

The affair did not terminate here. 



The political opponents of the govern- 
ment did not allow so favourable an 
opportunity to escape for launching the 
shafts of ridicule. The Moderados 
were taunted in the cortes for their 
avarice and credulity, whilst the liberal 
press wafted on its wings through Spain 
the story of the treasure-hunt at Saint 
James. 

" After all, it was a tram-pa of Don 
Jorge's," said one of my enemies. 
" That fellow is at the bottom of half 
the picardias which happen in Spain." 

Eager to learn the fate of the Swiss, 
I wrote to my old friend Rey Romero, 
at Compostella. In his answer he 
states : " I saw the Swiss in prison, to 
which place he sent for me, craving my 
assistance, for the sake of the friendship 
which I bore to you. But how could 
I help him? He was speedily after 
removed from Saint James, I know not 
whither. It is said that he disappeared 
on the road." 

Truth is sometimes stranger than 
fiction. Where in the whole cycle of 
romance shall we find anything more 
wild, grotesque, and sad, than the easily 
authenticated history of Benedict Mo3, 
the treasure-digger of Saint James ? 



L 249 ] 



CHAPTER XLIIL 

Vila Seca — Moorish House — The Puchera — The Rustic Council — Polite Ceremonial — The 
Flower of Spain— The Bridge of Azeca— The Ruined Castle — Taking the Field— Demand 
for the Word — The Old Peasant— The Curate and Blacksmith — Cheapness of the Scriptures. 



It was one of the most fiercely hot 
days in which I eyer braved the sun, 
when I arrived at Villa Seca. The 
heat in the shade must have amounted 
at least to one hundred degrees, and the 
entire atmosphere seemed to consist of 
flickering flame. At a place called 
Leganez, six leagues from Madrid, and 
about half way to Toledo, we diverged 
from the highway, bending our course 
seemingly towards the south-east. We 
rode over what are called plains in 
Spain, but which, in any other part of 
the world, would be called undulating 
and broken ground. The crops of corn 
and barley had already disappeared, 
the last vestiges discoverable being 
here and there a few sheaves, which 
the labourers were occupied in remov- 
ing to their garners in the villages. 
The country could scarcely be called 
beautiful, being perfectly naked, exhi- 
biting neither trees nor verdure. It 
was not, however, without its preten- 
sions to grandeur and magnificence, 
like every part of Spain. The most 
prominent objects were two huge cal- 
carious hills, or rather one cleft in 
twain, which towered up on high ; the 
summit of the nearest being surmounted 
by the ruins of an ancient castie, that 
of Villaluenga. About an hour past 
noon we reached Villa Seca. 

We found it a large village, contain- 
ing about seven hundred inhabitants, 
and surrounded by a mud wall. A 
plaza, or market-place, stood in the 
midst, one side of which is occupied by 
what is called a palace, a clumsy qua- 
drangular building of two stories, be- 
longing to some noble family, the lords 
of the neighbouring soil. It was de- 
serted, however; being only occupied 



by a kind of steward, who stored up in 
its chambers the grain which he received 
as rent from the tenants and villanos 
who farmed the surrounding district. 

The village stands at the distance of 
about a quarter of a league from the 
bank of the Tagus, which even here, in 
the heart of Spain, is a beautiful stream, 
not navigable, however, on account of 
the sand-banks, which in many places 
assume the appearance of small islands, 
and are covered with trees and brush- 
wood. The village derives its supply 
of water entirely from the river, having 
none of its own ; such at least as is po- 
table ; the water of its wells being all 
brackish, on which account it is proba- 
bly termed Villa Seca, which signifies 
"the dry hamlet." The inhabitants 
are said to have been originally Moors ; 
certain it is, that various customs are 
observable here highly favourable to 
such a supposition. Amongst others, a 
very curious one : it is deemed infa- 
mous for a woman of Villa Seca to go 
across the market-place, or to be seen 
there, though they have no hesitation 
in showing themselves in the streets 
and lanes. A deep-rooted hostility ex- 
ists between the inhabitants of this place 
and those of a neighbouring village, 
called Vargas ; they rarely speak when 
they meet, and never intermarry. There 
is a vague tradition that the people of 
the latter place are old Christians, and 
it is highly probable that these neigh- 
bours were originally of widely different 
blood ; those of Villa Seca being of par- 
ticularly dark complexions, whilst the 
indwellers of Vargas are light and fair. 
Thus the old feud between Moor and 
Christian is still kept up in the nine- 
teenth century in Spain. 



250 



THE BIBLE 



IN SPAIN. 



[CHAP. XLII1 



Drenched in perspiration, which fell 
from our brows like rain, we arrived at 
the door of Juan Lopez, the husband of 
Maria Diaz. Having heard of our in- 
tention to pay him a visit, he was ex- 
pecting us, and cordially welcomed us 
to his habitation, which, like a genuine 
Moorish house, consisted only of one 
story. It was amply large, however, 
with a court and stable. Ail the apart- 
ments were deliciously cool. The floors 
were of brick or stone ; and the narrow 
and trellised windows, which were with- 
out glass, scarcely permitted a ray of sun 
to penetrate into the interior. 

A puchera had been prepared in ex- 
pectation of our arrival ; the heat had 
not taken away my appetite, and it was 
not long before I did full justice to this 
the standard dish of Spain. Whilst I 
ate, Lopez played upon the guitar, sing- 
ing occasionally snatches of Andalusian 
songs. He was a short, merry-faced, 
active fellow, whom I had frequently 
seen at Madrid, and was a good speci- 
men of the Spanish labrador or yeoman. 
Though far from possessing the ability 
and intellect of his wife, Maria Diaz, 
he was by no means deficient in shrewd- 
ness and understanding. He was, more- 
over, honest and disinterested, and per- 
formed good service in the Gospel cause, 
as will presently appear. 

When the repast was concluded, Lo- 
pez thus addressed me: — "Senor Don 
Jorge, your arrival in our village has 
already caused a sensation ; more espe- 
cially as these are times of war and 
tumult, and every person is afraid of 
another, and we dwell here close on the 
confines of the factious country : for, as 
you well know, the greater part of La 
Mancha is in the hands of the Carlinos 
and thieves, parties of whom frequently 
show themselves on the other side of the 
river ; on which account the alcalde of 
this city, with the other grave and no- 
table people thereof, are desirous of see- 
ing your worship, and conversing with 
you, and of examining your passport." 
" It is well," said I ; " let us forthwith 
pay a visit to these worthy people." 
Whereupon he conducted me across the 
plaza, to the house of the alcalde, where 
I found the rustic dignitary seated in 
the passage, enjoying the refreshing 



coolness of a draught of air which 
rushed through. He was an elderly 
man, of about sixty, with nothing re- 
markable in his appearance or his fea- 
tures, which latter were placid and 
good-humoured. There were several 
people with him, amongst whom was 
the surgeon of the place, a tall and im- 
mensely bulky man, an Alavese by 
birth, from the town of Vitoria. There 
was also a red fiery-faced individual, 
with a nose very much turned on one 
side, who was the blacksmith of the 
village, and was called in general, El 
Tuerto, from the circumstance of his 
having but one eye. Making the 
assembly a low bow, I pulled out my 
passport, and thus addressed them : — 

" Grave men and cavaliers of this 
city of Villa Seca, as I am a stranger, 
of whom it is not possible that you 
should know anything, I have deemed 
it my duty to present myself before 
you, and to tell you who I am. Know, 
then, that I am an Englishman of good 
blood and fathers, travelling in these 
countries for my own profit and diver- 
sion, and for that of other people also. 
I have now found my way to Villa 
Seca, where I propose to stay some 
time, doing that which may be deemed 
convenient; sometimes riding across 
the plain, and sometimes bathing my- 
self in the waters of the river, which 
are reported to be of advantage in 
times of heat. I therefore beg that, 
during my sojourn in this capital, I 
may enjoy such countenance and pro- 
tection from its governors as they are 
in the habit of affording to those who 
are of quiet and well-ordered life, and 
are disposed to be buxom anil obedient 
to the customs and laws of the re- 
public." 

" He speaks well," said the alcalde, 
glancing around. 

" Yes, he speaks well," said the 
bulky Alavese ; " there is no denying it." 

" I never heard any one speak bet- 
ter," cried the blacksmith, starting up 
from a stool on which he was seated. 
" Vaya ! he is a big man and a fair 
complexioned, like myself. I like him, 
and have a horse that will just suit 
.him ; one that is the flower of Spain, 
aud is eight inches above the mark." 



CHAP. XLIIT.] 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



251 



I then, with another bow* presented 
my passport to the alcalde, who, with a 
gentle motion of his hand, appeared to 
decline taking it, at the same time say- 
ing, " It is not necessary/' " Oh, not 
at all," exclaimed the surgeon. " The 
housekeepers of Villa Seca know how 
to comport themselves with formality," 
observed the blacksmith. " They would 
be very loth to harbour any suspicion 
against a cavalier so courteous and well 
spoken." Knowing, however, that this 
refusal amounted to nothing, and that 
it merely formed part of a polite cere- 
monial, I proffered the passport a se- 
cond time, whereupon it was instantly 
taken, and in a moment the eyes of all 
present were bent upon it with intense 
curiosity. It was examined from top 
to bottom, and turned round repeatedly, 
and though it is not probable that an 
individual present understood a word 
of it, it being written in French, it 
gave nevertheless universal satisfac- 
tion ; and when the alcalde, carefully 
folding it up, returned it to me, they 
all observed that they had never seen a 
better passport in their lives, or one 
which spake in higher terms of the 
bearer. 

Who was it said that "Cervantes 
sneered Spain's chivalry away?" I 
know not; and the author of such a 
line scarcely deserves to be remem- 
bered. How the rage for scribbling 
tempts people at the present day to 
write about lands and nations of which 
they know nothing, or worse than no- 
thing ! Vaya ! It is not from having 
seen a bull-fight at Seville or Madrid, 
or having spent a handful of ounces at 
a posada in either of those places, kept 
perhaps by a Genoese or a Frenchman, 
that you are competent to write about 
such a people as the Spaniards, and to 
tell the world how they think, how 
they speak, and how they act. Spain's 
chivalry sneered away ! Why there is 
every probability that the great body 
of the Spanish nation speak, think, and 
live precisely as their forefathers did 
six centuries ago. 

In the evening the blacksmith, or, as 
he would be called in Spanish, El Her- 
rador, made his appearance at the door 
of Lopez on horseback. " Yamos, Don 



Jorge," he shouted. " Come with me, 
if your worship is disposed for a ride. 
I am going to bathe my horse in the 
Tagus, by the bridge of Azeca." I in- 
stantly saddled my jaca Cordovesa, and 
joining him, we rode out of the village, 
directing our course across the plain 
towards the river. " Did you ever sec 
such a horse as this of mine, Dor 
Jorge ?" he demanded. " Is he not s 
jewel — an alaja?" And in truth the 
horse was a noble and gallant creature, 
in height at least sixteen hands, broad 
chested, but of clean and elegant limbs. 
His neck was superbly arched, and his 
head towered on high like that of a 
swan. In colour he was a bright chest- 
nut, save his flowing mane and tail, 
which were almost black. I expressed 
my admiration ; whereupon the herra- 
dor, in high spirits, pressed his heels to 
the creature's sides, and flinging the 
bridle on its neck, speeded over the 
plain with prodigious swiftness, shout- 
ing the old Spanish cry, Cierra ! I 
attempted to keep up with him, but 
had not a chance. " I call him the 
fiower of Spain," said the herrador, 
rejoining me. "Purchase him, Don 
Jorge ; his price is but three thousand 
reals.* I would not sell him for dou- 
ble that sum, but the Carlist thieves 
have their eyes upon him, and I am 
apprehensive that they will some day 
make a dash across the river and break 
into Villa S£ca, all to get possession of 
my horse, ' The Flower of Spain/ " 

It may be as well to observe here, 
that, within a month from this period, 
my friend the herrador, not being able 
to find a regular purchaser for his 
steed, entered into negociations with 
the aforesaid thieves respecting him, 
and finally disposed of the animal to 
their leader, receiving not the three 
thousand reals he demanded, but an 
entire herd of horned cattle, probably 
driven from the plains of La Mancha. 
For this transaction, which was neither 
more nor less than high treason, he was 
cast into the prison of Toledo, where, 
however, he did not continue long ; for 
during a short visit to Villa Seca, which 
I made in the spring of the following 



* About thirty pounds. 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



[chap, xliit. 



year, I found hini alcalde of that " re- 
public." 

We arrived at the bridge of Azeca, 
which is about half a league from Villa 
Seca : close beside it is a large water- 
mill, standing upon a dam which 
crosses the river. Dismounting from 
his steed, the herrador proceeded to 
divest it of the saddle, then causing it 
to enter the mill-pool, he led it by 
means of a cord to a particular spot, 
where the water reached half way up 
its neck, then fastening the cord to a 
post on the bank, he left the animal 
standing in the pool. I thought I 
could do no better than follow his ex- 
ample ; and, accordingly, procuring a 
rope from the mill, I led my own horse 
into the water. " It will refresh their 
blood, Don Jorge," said the herrador ; 
" let us leave them there for an hour, 
whilst we go and divert ourselves." 

Near the bridge, on the side of the 
river on which we were, was a kind of 
guard-house, where were three car- 
bineers of the revenue, who collected 
the tolls of the bridge ; we entered into 
conversation with them : "Is not this a 
dangerous position of yours," said I to 
one of them, who was a Catalan ; " close 
beside the factious country ? Surely it 
would not be difficult for a body of the 
Carlinos or bandits to dash across the 
bridge and make prisoners of you all." 

"It would be easy enough at any 
moment, Cavalier," replied the Cata- 
lan; "we are, however, all in the 
hands of God, and he has preserved us 
hitherto, and perhaps still will. True 
it is that one of our number, for there 
were four of us originally, fell the 
other day into the hands of the ca- 
naille : he had wandered across the 
bridge amongst the thickets with his 
gun in search of a hare or rabbit, when 
three or four of them fell upon him and 
put him to death in a manner too hor- 
rible to relate. But patience ! every 
man who lives must die. I shall not 
sleep the worse to-night because I may 
chance to be hacked by the knives of 
these malvados to-morrow. Cavalier, 
I am from Barcelona, and have seen 
there mariners of your nation ; this is 
riot so good a country as Barcelona. 
Paciencia ! Cavalier, if you will step 



into our house, I will give you a glass 
of water ; we have some that is cool, 
for we dug a deep hole in the earth 
and buried there our pitcher ; it is cool, 
as I told you, but the water of Castile 
is not like that of Catalonia." 

The moon had arisen when we 
mounted our horses to return to the 
village, and the rays of the beauteous 
luminary danced merrily on the rush- 
ing waters of the Tagus, silvered the 
plain over which we were passing, and 
bathed in a flood of brightness the bold 
sides of the calcarious hill of Villa- 
luenga and the antique ruins which 
crowned its brow. " Why is that place 
called the Castle of Villaluenga ?" I 
demanded. 

" From a village of that name, which 
stands on the other side of the hill, Don 
Jorge," replied the herrador. " Vaya ! 
it is a strange place, that castle : some 
say it was built by the Moors in the 
old times, and some by the Christians 
when they first laid siege to Toledo. 
It is not inhabited now, save by rab- 
bits, which breed there in abundance 
amongst the long grass and broken 
I stones, and by eagles and vultures, 
j which build on the tops of the towers ; 
I occasionally go there with my gun to 
shoot a rabbit. On a fine day you may 
descry both Toledo and Madrid from 
its wails. I cannot say I like the place, 
it is so dreary and melancholy. The 
hill on which it stands is all of chalk, 
and is very difficult of ascent. I heard 
my grandame say that once, when she 
was a girl, a cloud of smoke burst from 
that hill, and that flames of fire were 
seen, just as if it contained a volcano, 
as perhaps it does, Don Jorge." 

The grand work of Scripture circu- 
lation soon commenced in the Sagra. 
Notwithstanding the heat of the wea- 
ther, I rode about in all directions. It 
was well that heat agrees with my con- 
stitution, otherwise it would have been 
impossible to effect anything in this 
season, when the very arrieros fre- 
quently fall dead from their mules, 
smitten by a sun-stroke. I had an ex- 
cellent assibtant in Antonio, who, dis- 
regarding the heat like myself, and 
afraid of nothing, visited several vil- 
lages with remarkable success. " Mon 



CHAP. XLIIT-J 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



253 



maitre," said he, " I wish to show you 
that nothing is beyond my capacity." 
But he who. put the labours of us both 
to shame, was my host, Juan Lopez, 
whom it had pleased the Lord to render 
favourable to the cause. " Don Jorge," 
said he, " io quiero engancharme con 
usted (I wish to enlist with you) ; I am 
a liberal, and a foe to superstition ; I 
will take the field, and, if necessary, 
will follow you to the end of the world : 
Viva Ingalaterra ; viva el Evangelio" 
Thus saying, he put a large bundle of 
Testaments into a satchel, and, spring- 
ing upon the crupper of his grey don- 
key, he cried " Arrhe burra" and has- 
tened away. I sat down to my journal. 

Ere I had finished writing I heard 
the voice of the burra in the court-yard, 
and going out, I found my host returned. 
He had disposed of his whole cargo of 
twenty Testaments at the village of 
Vargas, distant from Villa Seca about 
a league. Eight poor harvest-men, 
who were refreshing themselves at the 
door of a wine-house, purchased each a 
copy, whilst the village schoolmaster 
secured the rest for the little ones be- 
neath his care, lamenting, at the same 
time, the great difficulty he had long ex- 
perienced in obtaining religious books, 
owing to their scarcity and extravagant 
price. Many other persons were also 
anxious to purchase Testaments, but 
Lopez was unable to supply them : at 
his departure they requested him to re- 
turn within a few days. 

I was aware that I was playing rather 
a daring game, and that it was very 
possible that, when I least expected it, 
I might be seized, tied to the tail of a 
mule, and dragged either to the prison 
of Toledo or Madrid. Yet such a pro- 
spect did not discourage me in the least, 
but rather urged me to persevere ; for, 
at this time, without the slightest wish 
to magnify myself, I could say that I 
was eager to lay down my life for the 
cause, and whether a bandit's bullet or 
the gaol fever brought my career to a 
close, was a mattei of indifference to 
me ; I was not then a stricken man : 
" Ride on because of the word of righte- 
ousness," was my cry. 

The news of the arrival of the book 
of life soon spread like wildfire through 



the villages of the Sagra of Toledo, and 
wherever my people and myself directed 
our course w r e found the inhabitants 
disposed to receive our merchandise ; 
it was even called fcjr where not ex- 
hibited. One night as I was bathing 
myself and horse in the Tagus, a knot 
of people gathered on the bank, crying, 
" Come out of the water, Englishman, 
and give us books ; we have got our 
money in our hands." The poor crea- 
tures then held out their hands, filled 
with cuartos, a copper coin of the value 
of a farthing, but unfortunately I had 
no Testaments to give them. Antonio, 
however, who was at a short distance, 
having exhibited one, it was instantly 
torn from his hands by the people, and 
a scuffle ensued to obtain possession of 
it. It very frequently occurred that 
the poor labourers in the neighbour- 
hood, being eager to obtain Testaments, 
and having no money to offer us in 
exchange, brought various articles to 
our habitation as equivalents ; for ex- 
ample, rabbits, fruit, and barley ; and I 
made a point never to disappoint them, 
as such articles were of utility either 
for our own consumption or that of the 
horses. 

In Villa Seca there was a school in 
which fifty-seven children were taught 
the first rudiments of education. One 
morning the schoolmaster, a tall slim 
figure of about sixty, bearing on his 
head one of the peaked hats of Anda- 
lusia, and wrapped, notwithstanding the 
excessive heat of the weather, in a long 
cloak, made his appearance, and having 
seated himself, requested to be shown 
one of our books. Having delivered it 
to him, he remained examining it for 
nearly half an hour, without uttering a 
word. At last he laid it down with a 
sigh, and said that he should be very 
happy to purchase some of these books 
for his school, but from their appear- 
ance, especially from the quality of the 
paper and binding, he was apprehen- 
sive that to pay for them would exceed 
the means of the parents of his pupils, 
as they were almost destitute of money, 
being poor labourers. He then com- 
menced blaming the government, which 
he said established schools without af- 
fording the necessary books, adding 



254 



THE BIBLE 



IN SPAIN. 



[CKAP. XLI1I 



that in his school there were but two 
books for the use of all his pupils, and 
these he confessed contained but little 
good. I asked him what he considered 
the Testaments were worth ? He said, 
*' Senor Cavalier, to speak frankly, I 
have in other times paid twelve reals 
for books inferior to yours in every 
respect, but I assure you that my poor 
pupils would be utterly unable to pay 
the half of that sum." I replied, " I 
will sell you as many as you please for 
three reals each. I am acquainted 
with the poverty of the land, and my 
friends and myself, in affording the 
people the means of spiritual instruc- 
tion, have no wish to curtail their scanty 
bread." He replied : " Bendito sea 
Dios" (blessed be God), and could 
scarcely believe his ears. He instantly 
purchased a dozen, expending, as he 
said, all the money he possessed, with 
the exception of a few cuartos. The 
introduction of the word of God into 
the country schools of Spain is there- 
fore begun, and I humbly hope that it 
will prove one of those events which 
the Bible Society, after the lapse of 
years, will have most reason to remem- 
ber with joy and gratitude to the Al- 
mighty. 

An old peasant is reading in the 
portico. Eighty-four years have passed 
over his head, and he is almost entirely 
deaf ; nevertheless he is reading aloud 
the second of Matthew: three days 
since he bespoke a Testament, but not 
being able to raise the money, he has 
not redeemed it until the present mo- 
ment. He has just brought thirty 
farthings ; as I survey the silvery hair 
which overshadows his sun-burnt coun- 
tenance, the words of the song occurred 
to me, " Lord, now lettest thou thy 
servant depart in peace according to 
thy word, for mine eyes have seen thy 
salvation/' 

I experienced much grave kindness 
and simple hospitality from the good 
people of Villa Seca during my sojourn 
amongst them. I had at this time so 
won their hearts by the " formality " of 
my behaviour and language, that I 
firmly believe they would have re- 
sisted to the knife any attempt which 
might have been made to arrest or 



otherwise maltreat me. He who wishes 
to become acquainted with the genuine 
Spaniard must seek him . not in sea- 
ports and large towns, but in lone and 
remote villages, like those of the Sagra. 
There he will find all that gravity of 
deportment and chivalry of disposition 
which Cervantes is said to have sneered 
away ; and there he will hear, in every- 
day conversation, those grandiose ex- 
pressions, which, when met with in the 
romances of chivalry, are scoffed at as 
ridiculous exaggerations. 

I had one enemy in the village — it 
was the curate. 

" The fellow is a heretic and a 
scoundrel," said he one day in the con- 
clave. " He never enters the church, 
and is poisoning the minds of the people 
with his Lutheran books. Let him be 
bound and sent to Toledo, or turned 
out of the village at least." 

" I will have nothing of the kind," 
said the alcalde, who was said to be a 
Carlist. " If he has his opinions, I 
have mine too. He has conducted him- 
self with politeness. Why should I 
interfere with him? He has been 
courteous to my daughter, and has pre- 
sented her with a volume. Que viva ! 
and with respect to his being a Lutheran, 
I have heard say that amongst the 
Lutherans there are sons of as good 
fathers as here. He appears to me a 
caballero. He speaks well." 

" There is no denying it," said the 
surgeon. 

" Who speaks so well ? " shouted the 
herrador. " And who has more for- 
mality ? Vaya ! did he not praise my 
horse, ' The flower of Spain ? ' Did 
he not say that in the whole of Ingala- 
terra there was not a better ? Did he 
not assure me, moreover, that if he were 
to remain in Spain he would purchase 
it, giving me my own price ? Turn 
him out, indeed ! Is he not of my own 
blood, is he not fair-complexioned ? 
Who shall turn him out when I, * the 
one-eyed/ say no ? " 

In connexion with the circulation of 
the Scriptures I will now relate an 
anecdote not altogether divested of 
singularity. I have already spoken of 
the water-mill by the bridge of Azeca. 
I had formed acquaintance with the 



CHAP. XLIII.J 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



tenant of this mill, who was known in 
the neighbourhood by the name of Don 
Antero. One day, taking me into a retired 
place, he asked me, to my great astonish- 
ment, whether I would sell him a thou- 
sand Testaments at the price at which 
I was disposing of them to the peasan- 
try ; saying, if I would consent he would 
pay me immediately. In fact, he put 
his hand into his pocket, and pulled it 
out filled with gold ounces. I asked 
him what was his reason for wishing 
to make so considerable a purchase. 
Whereupon he informed me that he 
had a relation in Toledo whom he 
wished to establish, and that he was of 
opinion that his best plan would be to 
hire him a shop there and furnish it 
with Testaments. I told him that he 
must think of nothing of the kind, as 
probably the books would be seized on 
the first attempt to introduce them into 
Toledo, as the priests and canons were 
much averse to their distribution. 

He was not disconcerted, however, 
and said his relation could travel, as I 
myself was doing, and dispose of them 
to the peasants with profit to himself. 
I confess I was inclined at first to ac- 
cept his offer, but at length declined it, 



as I did not wish to expose a poor man 
to the risk of losing money, goods, and 
perhaps liberty and life. I was like- 
wise averse to the books being offered 
to the peasantry at an advanced price, 
being aware that they could not afford 
it, and the books, by such an attempt, 
would lose a considerable part of that 
influence which they then enjoyed ; for 
their cheapness struck the minds of the 
people, and they considered it almost as 
much in the light of a miracle as the 
Jews the manna which dropped from 
heaven at the time they were famishing, 
or the spring which suddenly gushed 
from the flinty rock to assuage their 
thirst in the wilderness. 

At this time a peasant was continually 
passing and repassing between Villa 
Seca and Madrid, bringing us cargoes 
of Testaments on a burrico. We con- 
tinued our labours until the greater 
part of the villages of the Sagra were 
well supplied with books, more espe- 
cially those of Vargas, Coveja, Mocejon, 
Villaluenga, Villa Seca, and Yungler. 
Hearing at last that our proceedings 
were known at Toledo, and were caus- 
ing considerable alarm, we returned to 
Madrid. 



CHAPTER XLIV. 



Aranjuez — A Warning — A Night Adventure — A fresli Expedition — Segovia — Al>ade3~ Fac- 
tious Curas — Lopez in Prison — Rescue of Lopez. 



The success which had attended our 
efforts in the Sagra of Toledo speedily 
urged me on to a new enterprise. I 
now determined to direct my course to 
La Mancha, and to distribute the word 
amongst the villages of that province. 
Lopez, who had already performed such 
important services in the Sagra, had 
accompanied us to Madrid, and was 
eager to take part in this new expedi- 
tion. We determined in the first place 
to proceed to Aranjuez, where we hoped 
to obtain some information which might 
prove of utility in the further regula- 
tion of our movements ; Aranjuez being 
but a slight distance from the frontier 
of La Mancha, and the high road into 
that province passing directly through 
it. We accordingly sallied forth from 
Madrid, selling from twenty to forty 
Testaments in every village which lay 
in our way, until we arrived at Aran- 
juez, to which place we had forwarded 
a large supply of books. 

A lovely spot is Aranjuez, though 
in desolation: here the Tagus flows 
through a delicious valley, perhaps the 
most fertile in Spain ; and here up- 
sprang, in Spain's better days, a little 
city, with a small, but beautiful palace, 
shaded by enormous trees, where royalty 
delighted to forget its cares. Here 
Ferdinand the Seventh spent his latter 
days, surrounded by lovely senoras and 
Andalusian bull-fighters: but as the 
German Schiller has it in one of his 
tragedies : 

" The happy days in fair Aranjuez 
Are past and gone." 

When the sensual king went to his 
dread account, royalty deserted it, and 
it soon fell into decay. Intriguing 
courtiers no longer crowd its halls ; 
its spacious circus, where Manchegan 
bulls once roared in rage and agony, is 



now closed, and the light tinkling of 
guitars is no longer heard amidst its 
groves and gardens. 

At Aranjuez I made a sojourn of 
three days, during which time Antonio, 
Lopez, and myself visited every house 
in the town. We found a vast deal of 
poverty and ignorance amongst the in- 
habitants, and experienced some oppo- 
sition : nevertheless it pleased the Al- 
mighty to permit us to dispose of about 
eighty Testaments, which were pur- 
chased entirely by the very poor people ; 
those in easier circumstances paying no 
attention to the word of God, but rather 
turning it to scoff and ridicule. 

One circumstance was very gratify- 
ing and cheering to me, namely, the 
ocular proof which I possessed that the 
books which I disposed of were read, 
and with attention, by those to whom I 
sold them ; and that many others par- 
ticipated in their benefit. In the streets 
of Aranjuez, and beneath the mighty 
cedars and gigantic elms and plantains 
which compose its noble woods, I have 
frequently seen groups assembled listen- 
ing to individuals who, with the New 
Testament in their hands, were reading 
aloud the comfortable words of salva- 
tion. 

It is probable that, had I remained a 
longer period at Aranjuez, I might 
have sold many more of these divine 
books, but I was eager to gain La 
Mancha and its sandy plains, and to 
conceal myself for a season amongst its 
solitary villages, for I was apprehen- 
sive that a storm was gathering around 
me; but when once through Ocana, 
the frontier town, I knew well that I 
should have nothing to fear from the 
Spanish authorities, as their power 
ceased there, the rest of La Mancha 
being almost entirely in the hands of 



CHAP. XLIV.] 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



257 



the Carlists, and overrun by small 
parties of banditti, from whom, how- 
ever, I trusted that the Lord would 
preserve me. I therefore departed for 
Ocana, distant three leagues from Aran- 
juez. 

1 started with Antonio at six in the 
evening, having early in the morning 
sent forward Lopez with between two 
and three hundred Testaments. We 
left the high road, and proceeded by a 
shorter way through wild hills and over 
very broken and precipitous ground: 
being well mounted, we found our- 
selves just after sunset opposite Ocana, 
which stands on a steep hill. A deep 
valley lay between us and the town : 
we descended, and came to a small 
bridge, which traverses a rivulet at the 
bottom of the Valley, at a very small 
distance from a kind of suburb. We 
crossed the bridge, and were passing 
by a deserted house on our left hand, 
when a man appeared from under the 
porch. 

What I am about to state will seem 
incomprehensible, but a singular history 
and a singular people are connected 
with it : the man placed himself before 
my horse so as to bar the way, and said 
" Schophon" which, in the Hebrew 
tongue, signifies a rabbit. I knew this 
word to be one of the Jewish counter- 
signs, and asked the man if he had any- 
thing to communicate ? He said, " You 
must not enter the town, for a net is 
prepared for you. The corregidor of 
Toledo, on whom may all evil light, in 
order to give pleasure to the priests of 
Maria, in whose face I spit, has ordered 
all the alcaldes of these parts, and the 
escribanos and the corchetes to lay 
hands on you wherever they may find 
you, and to send you, and your books, 
and all that pertains to you to Toledo. 
Your servant was seized this morning 
in the town above, as he was selling 
the writings in the streets, and they are 
now awaiting your arrival in the posada ; 
but I knew you from the accounts of 
my brethren, and I have been waiting 
here four hours to give you warning in 
order that your horse may turn his tail 
to your enemies, and neigh in derision 
of them. Fear nothing for your ser- 
vant, for he is known to the alcalde, and 



will be set at liberty ; but do you flee, 
and may God attend you/' Having 
said this, he hurried towards the town. 

I hesitated not a moment to take his 
advice, knowing full well that, as my 
books had been taken possession of, I 
could do no more in that quarter. We 
turned back in the direction of Aran- 
juez, the horses, notwithstanding the 
nature of the ground, galloping at full 
speed ; but our adventures were not 
over. Midway, and about half a league 
from the village of Antigola, we saw 
close to us on our left hand three men 
on a low bank. As far as the darkness 
would permit us to distinguish, they 
were naked, but each bore in his hand 
a long gun. These were rateros, or 
the common assassins and robbers of 
the roads. We halted and cried out, 
"Who goes there?" They replied, 
" What 's that to you ? pass by." Their 
drift was to fire at us from a position 
from which it would be impossible to 
miss. We shouted, "If you do not 
instantly pass to the right side of the 
road we will tread you down beneath 
the horses' hoofs." They hesitated and 
then obeyed, for all assassins are das- 
tards, and the least show of resolution 
daunts them. As we galloped past, 
one cried, with au obscene oath, " Shall 
we fire ? " But another said, " No, 
no ! there 's danger." We reached 
Aranjuez, where early next morning 
Lopez rejoined us, and we returned to 
Madrid. 

I am sorry to state that two hundred 
Testaments were seized at Ocana, from 
whence, after being sealed up, they 
were despatched to Toledo. Lopez 
informed me, that in two hours he 
could have sold them all, the demand 
was so great. As it was, twenty-seven 
were disposed of in less than ten 
minutes. 

" Eide on because of the word of 
righteousness." Notwithstanding the 
check which we had experienced at 
Ocana, we were far from being dis- 
couraged, and forthwith prepared our- 
selves for another expedition. As we 
returned from Aranjuez to Madrid, my 
eyes had frequently glanced towards 
the mighty wall of mountains dividing 
the two Castiles, and I said to myself, 

s2 



25S 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



[chap, xliv. 



" Would it not be well to cross those 
hills, and commence operations on the 
other side, even in Old Castile ? There 
I am unknown, and intelligence of my 
proceedings can scarcely have been 
transmitted thither. Peradventure the 
enemy is asleep, and before he has 
roused himself, I may have sown much 
of the precious seed amongst the vil- 
lages of the Old Castilians. To Cas- 
tile, therefore, to Castilia la Vieja!" 
Accordingly, on the day after my ar- 
rival, I despatched several cargoes of 
books to various places which I proposed 
to visit, and sent forward Lopez and 
his donkey, well laden, with directions 
to meet me on a particular day beneath 
a particular arch of the aqueduct of Se- 
govia. I likewise gave him orders to 
engage any persons willing to co- 
operate with us in the circulation of the 
Scriptures, and who might be likely to 
prove of utility in the enterprise. A 
more useful assistant than Lopez in an 
expedition of this kind it was impossible 
to have. He was not only well ac- 
quainted with the country, but had 
friends, and even connexions on the 
other side of the hills, in whose houses 
he assured me that we should at all 
"dmes find a hearty welcome. He de- 
parted in high spirits, exclaiming, " Be 
of good cheer, Don Jorge : before we re- 
ton we will have disposed of every copy 
of your evangelic library. Down with 
th 3 friars ! Down with superstition : 
Viva Ingalaterra, viva el Evangelio ! " 

In a few days I followed with Anto- 
nio. We ascended the mountains by 
the pass called Peiia Cerrada, which 
lies about three leagues to the eastward 
of that of Guadarama. It is very un- 
frequented, the high road between the 
two Castiles passing through Guada- 
rama. It has. moreover, an evil name, 
being, according to common report, 
infested with banditti. The sun was 
just setting when we reached the top of 
the hills, and entered a thick and gloomy 
pine forest, which entirely covers the 
mountains on the side of Old Castile. 
The descent soon became so rapid and 
precipitous, that we were fain to dis- 
mount from our horses and to diive 
them before us. Into the woods we 
plunged deeper and deeper still : night- 



birds soon began to hoot and cry, and 
millions of crickets commenced then 
shrill chirping above, below, and around 
us. Occasionally, amidst the trees at a 
distance, we could see blazes, as if from 
immense fires. " They are those of the 
charcoal-burners, mon maitre," said 
Antonio ; fc< we will not go near them, 
however, for they are savage people, 
and half bandits. Many is the traveller 
whom they have robbed and murdered 
in these horrid wildernesses." 

It was blackest night when we ar- 
rived at the foot of the mountains ; wc 
were still, however, amidst woods and 
pine forests, which extended for leagues 
in every direction. " We shall scarcely 
reach Segovia to-night, mon maitre," 
said Antonio. And so indeed it proved, 
for we became bewildered, and at last 
arrived where two roads branched off 
in difTerent directions : we took not the 
left-hand road, which would have con- 
ducted us to Segovia, but turned to the 
right, in the direction of La Granja, 
where we arrived at midnight. 

We found the desolation of La Granja 
far greater than that of Aranjuez ; both 
had suffered from the absence of royalty, 
but the former to a degree which was 
truly appalling. Nine-tenths of the in- 
habitants had left this place, which, 
until the late military revolution, had 
been the favourite residence of Chris- 
tina. So great is the solitude of La 
Granja, that wild boars from the neigh- 
bouring forests, and especially from the 
beautifol pine-covered mountain which 
rises like a cone directly behind the 
palace, frequently find their way into 
the streets and squares, and whet their 
tusks against the pillars of the porticos. 

" Bide on because of the word of 
righteousness." After a stay of twenty- 
four hours at La Granja, we proceeded 
to Segovia. The day had arrived on 
which I had appointed to meet Lopez. 
I repaired to the aqueduct, and sat down 
beneath the hundred and seventh arch, 
where I waited the greater part of the 
day, but he came not, whereupon I 
arose and went into the city. 

At Segovia I tarried two days in the 
house of a friend, still I could hear 
nothing of Lopez. At last, by the 
greatest chance in the world, I heard 



CHAP. XLIV.] 



THE BIBLE 



IN SPAIN. 



259 



from a peasant that there were men in 
the neighbourhood of Abaci es selling 
books. 

Abades is about three leagues distant 
from Segovia, and upon receiving this 
intelligence, i instantly departed for the 
former place, with three donkeys laden 
with Testaments. I reached Abades 
at nightfall, and found Lopez, with two 
peasants whom he had engaged, in the 
house of the surgeon of the place, where 
I also took up my residence. He had 
already disposed of a considerable num- 
ber of Testaments in the neighbour- 
hood, and had that day commenced 
selling at Abades itself; he had, how- 
ever, been interrupted by two of the 
three curas of the village, who, with 
horrid curses, denounced the work, 
threatening eternal condemnation to 
Lopez for selling it, and to any person 
who should pruchase it ; whereupon 
Lopez, terrified, forbore until 1 should ! 
arrive. The third cur a, however, ex- 
erted himself to the utmost to persuade 
the psople to provide themselves with 
Testaments, telling them that his bre- 
thren were hypocrites and false guides, 
who, by keeping them in ignorance of 
the word and will of Christ, were lead- 
ing them to the abyss. Upon receiving 
this information, I instantly sallied forth 
to the market-place, and that same 
night succeeded in disposing of upwards 
of thirty Testaments. The next morn- 
ing the house was entered by the two 
factious curas ; but upon my rising to 
confront them, they retreated, and I 
heard no more of them, except that they 
publicly cursed me in the church more 
than once, an event which, as no ill re- 
sulted from it, gave me little concern. 

I will not detail the events of the 
next week; suffice it to say that ar- 
ranging my forces in the most advan- 
tageous way, I succeeded, by God's 
assistance, in disposing of from five to 
six hundred Testaments amongst the 
villages from one to seven leagues' dis- 
tance from Abades. At the expiration 
of that period I received information 
that my proceedings were known in 
Segovia, in which province Abades is 
situated, and that an order was about to 
be sent to the alcalde to seize all books 
in my possession. Whereupon, not* 



withstanding that it was late in the 
evening, I decamped with ail my peo- 
ple, and upwards of three hundred Tes- 
taments, having a few hours previously 
received a fresh supply from Madrid. 
That night we passed in the fields, and 
next morning proceeded to Labajos, a 
village on the high road from Madrid 
to Valladolid. In this place we offered 
no books for sale, but contented our- 
selves with supplying the neighbouring 
villages with the word of God: we 
likewise sold it in the highways. 

We had not been at Labajos a week, 
during which time we were remarkably 
successful, when the Carlist chieftain, 
Balmaseda, at the head of his cavalry, 
made his desperate inroad into the 
southern part of Old Castile, dashing 
down like an avalanche from the pine- 
woods of Soria. I was present at all 
the horrors which ensued, — the sack of 
Arrevalo, and the forcible entry into 
Martin Munoz. Amidst these terrible 
scenes we continued our labours. Sud- 
denly I lost Lopez for three days, and 
suffered dreadful anxiety on his ac- 
count, imagining that he had been shot 
by the Carlists ; at last I heard that he 
was in prison at Villallos, three leagues 
distant. The steps which I took to res- 
cue him will be found detailed in a 
communication, which I deemed it my 
duty to transmit to Lord William Her- 
vey, who, in the absence of Sir George 
Villiers, now become Earl of Clarendon, 
fulfilled the duties of minister at Ma- 
drid : — 

Labajos, Province of Segovia. 
My Lord, August 23rd, 1838. 

I beg leave to call your attention to 
the following facts. On the 21st inst. 
I received information that a person in 
my employ, of the name of Juan Lopez, 
had been thrown into the prison of Vil- 
lallos, in the province of Avila, by order 
of the cura of that place. The crime 
with which he was charged was selling 
the New Testament. I was at that 
time at Labajos, in the province of 
Segovia, and the division of the factious 
chieftain Balmaseda was in the imme- 
diate neighbourhood. On the 22nd, I 
mounted my horse and rode to Villallos, 
a distance of three leagues. On my ar- 



260 



THE BIBLE UN SPAIN. 



[cha.?. xltv 



rival there, I found that Lopez had been 
removed from the prison to a private 
house. An order had arrived from the 
corregidor of Avila, commanding that 
the person of Lopez should be set at 
liberty, and that the books which had 
been found in his possession should be 
alone detained. Nevertheless, in direct 
opposition to this order (a copy of which 
I herewith transmit), the alcalde of 
Villallos, at the instigation of the cura, 
refused to permit the said Lopez to quit 
the place, either to proceed to Avila or 
in any other direction. It had been 
hinted to Lopez that as the factious 
were expected, it was intended on their 
arrival to denounce him to them as a 
liberal, and to cause him to be sacri- 
ficed. Taking these circumstances into 
consideration, I deemed it my duty, as 
a Christian and a gentleman, to rescue 
my unfortunate servant from such law- 
less hands, and in consequence, defying 
opposition, I bore him ofT, though en- 
tirely unarmed, through a crowd of at 
least one hundred peasants. On leaving 
the place I shouted, " Viva Isabel 
Segunda" 

As it is my belief that the cura of 
Villallos is a person capable of any in- 



famy, I beg leave humbly to in treat 
your Lordship to cause a copy of the 
above narration to be forwarded to the 
Spanish government. 

I have the honour to remain, 
My Lord, 
Your Lordship's most obedient 

GEORGE BORROW. 

To the Right Honourable 
Loki> William Hervey. 

After the rescue of Lopez we pro- 
ceeded in the work of distribution. 
Suddenly, however, the symptoms of an 
approaching illness came over me, 
which compelled us to return in all 
haste to Madrid. Arrived there, I was 
attacked by a fever which confined me 
to my bed for several weeks ; occasional 
fits of delirium came over me, during 
one of which, I imagined myself in the 
market-place of Martin Murioz, engaged 
in deadly struggle with the chieftain 
Balmaseda. 

The fever had scarcely departed, 
when a profound melancholy took pos- 
session of me, which entirely disquali- 
fied me for active exertion. Change of 
scene and air was recommended ; I 
therefore returned to England. 



L a** J 



CHAPTER XLV. 

Return to Spain — Seville — A hoary Persecutor — Manchegan Prophetess — Antonio's Dream. 



Ox the thirty-first of December, 1838. 
I again visited Spain for the third time. 
After staying a day or two at Cadiz. I 
repaired to Seville, from which place I 
proposed starting for Madrid with the 
mail post. Here I tarried about a fort- 
night, enjoying the delicious climate of 
this terrestrial Paradise, and the balmy 
breezes of the Andalusian winter, even 
as T had done two years previously. 
Before leaving Seville I visited the 
bookseller, my correspondent, who in- 
formed me that seventy-six copies of 
the hundred Testaments entrusted to 
his care had been placed in embargo by 
the government last summer, and that 
they were at the present time in posses- 
sion of the ecclesiastical governor, 
whereupon I determined to visit this 
functionary also, with the view of mak- 
ing inquiries concerning the property. 

He lived in a large house in the Pa- 
jaria, or straw-market. He was a very 
old man, between seventy and eighty, 
and, like the generality of those who 
wear the sacerdotal habit in this city, 
was a fierce persecuting Papist. I 
imagine that he scarcely believed his 
ears when his two grand-nephews, 
beautiful black-haired boys who were 
playing in the court-yard, ran to inform 
him that an Englishman was waiting 
to speak with him, as it is probable that 
I was the first heretic who ever ven- 
tured into his habitation. I found him 
in a vaulted room, seated on a lofty 
chair, with two sinister-looking secre- 
taries, also in sacerdotal habits, em- 
ployed in writing at a table before him. 
He brought powerfully to my mind the 
grim old inquisitor who persuaded 
Philip the Second to slay his own son 
as an enemy to the church. 

He rose as I entered, and gazed upon 
me with a countenance dark with sus- 
picion and dissatisfaction. He at last 



condescended to point me to a sofa, and 
I proceeded to state to him my business. 
He became much agitated when I men- 
tioned the Testaments to him ; but I no 
sooner spoke of the Bible Society and 
told him who I was, than he could con- 
tain himself no longer : with a stam- 
mering tongue, and with eyes flashing 
fire like hot coals, he proceeded to rail 
against the society and myself, saying 
that the aims of the first were atrocious, 
and that, as to myself, he was surprised 
that, being once lodged in the prison of 
Madrid, I had ever been permitted to 
quit it ; adding, that it was disgraceful 
in the government to allow a person of 
my character to roam about an innocent 
and peaceful country, corrupting the 
minds of the ignorant and unsuspicious. 
Far from allowing myself to be discon- 
certed by his rude behaviour, I replied 
to him with all possible politeness, and 
assured him that in this instance he had 
no reason to alarm himself, as my sole 
motive in claiming the books in ques- 
tion was to avail myself of an oppor- 
tunity which at present presented itself, 
of sending them out of the country, 
which, indeed, I had been commanded 
to do by an official notice. But nothing 
would soothe him, and he informed me 
that he should not deliver up the books 
on any condition, save by a positive 
order of the government. As the mat- 
ter was by no means an affair of conse- 
quence, I thought it wise not to per- 
sist, and also prudent to take my leave 
before he requested me. I was followed 
even down into the street by his niece 
and grand-nephews, who, during the 
whole of the conversation, had listened 
at the door of the apartment and heard 
every word. 

In passing through La Mancha, we 
staid for four hours at Manzanares, a 
large village. I was standing in the 



262 THE BIBLE 



market-place conversing -with a curate, 
when a frightful ragged object presented 
itself ; it was a girl about eighteen or 
nineteen, perfectly blind, a white film 
being spread over her huge staring 
eyes. Her countenance was as yellow 
as that of a Mulatto. I thought at first 
that she was a Gypsy, and addressing 
myself to her, inquired in Gitano if she 
were of that race ; she understood me, 
but shaking her head, replied, that she 
was something better than a Gitana, 
and could speak something better than 
that jargon of witches : whereupon she 
commenced asking me several questions 
in exceedingly good Latin. I was of 
course very much surprised, but sum- 
moning all my Latinity, I called her 
Manchegan Prophetess, and expressing 
my admiration for her learning, begged 
to be informed by what means she be- 
came possessed of it. I must here ob- 
serve that a crowd instantly gathered 
around us, who, though they understood 
not one word of our discourse, at every 
sentence of the girl shouted applause, 
proud in the possession of a prophetess 
who could answer the Englishman. 

She informed me that she was born 
blind, and that a Jesuit priest had taken 
compassion on her when she was a child, 
and had taught her the holy language, 
in order that the attention and hearts of 
Christians might be more easily turned 
towards her. I soon discovered that he 
had taught her something more than 
Latin, for upon telling her that I was 
an Englishman, she said that she had 
always loved Britain, which was once the 
nursery of saints and sages, for example, 
Bede and Alcuin, Columbus and Tho- 
mas of Canterbury ; but she added, those 
times had gone by since the re-appear- 
ance of Semiramis (Elizabeth). Her 
Latin was truly excellent, and when I, 
like a genuine Goth, spoke of Anglia 
and Terra Vandalica (Andalusia), she 
corrected me by saying, that in her lan- 
guage those places wore called Britan- 
nia and Terra Betica. When we had 
finished our discourse, a gathering was 
made for the prophetess, the very poor- 
est contributing something. 

After travelling four days and nights, 
we arrived at Madrid without having 
experienced the slightest accident, 



IN SPAIN. [chap. xlv. 

though it is but just to observe, and 
always with gratitude to the Almighty, 
that the next mail was stopped. A sin- 
gular incident befell me immediately 
after my arrival : on entering the arch 
of the posada called La Reyna, where I 
intended to put up, I found myself encir- 
cled in a person's arms, and on turning 
round in amazement, beheld my Greek 
servant, Antonio. He was haggard 
and ill dressed, and his eyes seemed 
starting from their sockets. 

As soon as we were alone he informed 
me that since my departure he had un- 
dergone great misery and destitution, 
having, during the whole period, been 
unable to find a master in need of his 
services, so that he was brought nearly 
to the verge of desperation ; but that on 
the night immediately preceding my 
arrival he had a dream, in which he 
saw me, mounted on a black horse, ride 
up to the gate of the posada, and that 
on that account he had been waiting 
there during the greater part of the 
day. I do not pretend to offer an opi- 
nion concerning this narrative, which 
is beyond the reach of my philosophy, 
and shall content myself with observing, 
that only two individuals in Madrid 
were aware of my arrival in Spain. I 
was very glad to receive him again into 
my service, as, notwithstanding his 
faults, he had in many instances proved 
of no slight assistance to me in my 
wanderings and Biblical labours. 

I was soon settled in my former lodg- 
ings, when one of my first cares was to 
pay a visit to Lord Clarendon. Amongst 
other things, he informed me that he 
had received an official notice from the 
government, stating the seizure of the 
New Testaments at Ocana, the circum- 
stances relating to which I have de- 
scribed on a former occasion, and in- 
forming him that unless steps were in- 
stantly taken to remove them from the 
country, they would be destroyed at 
Toledo, to which place they had been 
conveyed. I replied that I should 
give myself no trouble about the mat- 
ter ; and that if the authorities of To- 
ledo, civil or ecclesiastic, determined 
upon burning these books, my only hope 
was that they would commit them to 
the flames with all possible publicity 



CHAP. XL V.J 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



263 



as by so doing they would but manifest 
their own hellish rancour and their hos- 
tility to the word of God. 

Being eager to resume my labours, I 
had no sooner arrived at Madrid than 
I wrote to Lopez at Villa Seca, for the 
purpose of learning whether he was in- 
clined to co-operate in the work, as on 
former occasions. In reply he informed 
me* that he was busily employed in his 
agricultural pursuits: to supply his 



place, however, he sent over an elderly 
villager, Victoriano Lopez by name, a 
distant relation of his own. 

What is a missionary in the heart of 
Spain without a horse ? Which consi- 
deration induced me now to purchase an 
Arabian of high caste, which had been 
brought from Algiers by an officer of 
the French legion. The name of this 
steed, the best I believe that ever issued 
from the desert, was Sicli Habicmilk. 



[ 264 ] 



CHAPTER XLVI. 

Work of Distribution resumed — Adventure at Cobenna — Power of the Clergy — Rural Autho- 
rities— Fuente la Higuera — Victoriano's Mishap — Village Prison — The Rope — Antonio's 
Errand — Antonio at Mass. 



In my last chapter I stated that, imme- 
diately after my arrival at Madrid, I 
proceeded to get everything in readi- 
ness for commencing operations in the 
neighbourhood : and I soon entered up- 
on my labours in reality. Consider- 
able success attended my feeble efforts 
in the good cause, for which at present, 
after the lapse of some years, I still 
look back with gratitude to the Al- 
mighty. 

All the villages within the distance 
of four leagues to the east of Madrid 
were visited in less than a fortnight, 
and Testaments to the number of nearly 
two hundred disposed of. These vil- 
lages for the most part are very small, 
some of them consisting of not more than 
a dozen houses, or I should rather say 
miserable cabins. I left Antonio, my 
Greek, to superintend matters in Ma- 
drid, and proceeded with Victoriano, 
the peasant, from Villa Seca, in the di- 
rection which I have already' men- 
tioned. We, however, soon parted com- 
pany and pursued different routes. 

The first village at which I made 
an attempt was Cobenna, about three 
leagues from Madrid. I was dressed 
in the fashion of the peasants in the 
neighbourhood of Segovia, in Old Cas- 
tile, namely. I had on my head a spe- 
cies of leather helmet or montera, with 
a jacket and trousers of the same mate- 
rial. I had the appearance of a person 
between sixty and seventy years of age, 
and drove before me a borrico with a 
sack of Testaments lying across its back. 
On nearing the village, I met a genteel- 
looking young woman leading a little 
boy by the hand : as I was about to pass 
her with the customary salutation of 
vaya usted con Dios, she stopped, and, 
after looking at me for a moment, she 



said — " Uncle ( Tio), what is that you 
have got on your borrico ? Is it soap ?" 

" Yes," I replied; "it is soap to wash 
souls clean." 

She demanded what I meant ; where- 
upon I told her that I carried cheap and 
godly books for sale. On her request- 
ing to see one, I produced a copy from 
my pocket and handed it to her. She 
instantly commenced reading with a 
loud voice, and continued so for at least 
ten minutes, occasionally exclaiming, 
" Que lectura tan bonita, que ledum tan 
linda I What beautiful, what charming 
reading!" At last, on my informing 
her that I was in a hurry, and could not 
wait any longer, she said " True, true," 
and asked me the price of the book ; I 
told her u But three reals," whereupon 
she said, that though what I asked was 
very little, it was more than she could 
afford to give, as there was little or no 
money in those parts. I said I was 
sorry for it, but that I could not dispose 
of the books for less than I had de- 
manded, and accordingly, resuming it, 
wished her farewell, and left her. I 
had not, however, proceeded thirty 
yards, when the boy came running 
behind me, shouting, out of breath — 
" Stop, uncle, the book, the book !" 
Upon overtaking me, he delivered the 
three reals in copper, and seizing the 
Testament, ran back to her, who I sup- 
pose was his sister, flourishing the book 
over his head with great glee. 

On arriving at the village, I directed 
my steps to a house, around the door of 
which I saw several people gathered, 
chiefly women. On my displaying my 
books, their curiosity was instantly 
aroused, and every person had speedily 
one in his hand, many reading aloud 
however, after waiting nearly an hour, 



CHiP. XLVI. | 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



265 



I had disposed of but one copy, all com- 
plaining bitterly of the distress of the 
times, and the almost total want of mo- 
ney, though, at the same time, they ac- 
knowledged that the books were won- 
derfully cheap, and appeared to be very 
good and Christian-like. I was about 
to gather up my merchandise and de- 
part, when on a sudden the curate of the 
place made his appearance. After hav- 
ing examined the books for some time 
with considerable attention, he asked 
me the price of a copy, and upon my 
informing him that it was three reals, 
he replied that the binding was worth 
more, and that he was much afraid that 
I had stolen the books, and that it was 
perhaps his duty to send me to prison 
as a suspicious character; but added, 
that the books were good books, how- 
ever they might be obtained, and con- 
cluded by purchasing two copies. The 
poor people no sooner heard their curate 
recommend the volumes, than all were 
eager to secure one, and hurried here 
and there for the purpose of procuring 
money, so that between twenty and 
thirty copies were sold almost in an in- 
stant. This adventure not only affords 
an instance of the power still possessed 
by the Spanish clergy over the minds 
of the people, but proves that such in- 
fluence is not always exerted in a man- 
ner favourable to the maintenance of 
ignorance and superstition. 

In another village, on my showing a 
Testament to a woman, she said that 
she had a child at school for whom she 
should like to purchase one, but that 
she must first know whether the book 
was calculated to be of service to him. 
She then went away, and presently re- 
turned with the schoolmaster, followed 
by all the children under his care ; she 
then, showing the schoolmaster a book, 
inquired if it would answer for her son. 
The schoolmaster called her a simple- 
ton for asking such a question, and said 
that he knew the book well, and there 
was not its equal in the world (no hay 
otro en el nam do). He instantly pur- 
chased five copies for his pupils, regret- 
ting that he had no more money, " for 
if I had," said he, " I would buy the 
whole cargo." Upon hearing this, the 
woman purchased four copies, namely, 



one for her living son, another lor her 
deceased husband, a third for herself 
and a fourth for her brother, whom she 
said she was expecting home that night 
from Madrid. 

In this manner we proceeded; not, 
however, with uniform success. In 
some villages the people were so poor 
and needy that they had literally no 
money ; even in these, however, we ma- 
naged to dispose of a few copies in ex- 
change for barley or refreshments. On 
entering one very small hamlet, Victo- 
riano was stopped by the curate, who, 
on learning what he carried, told him, 
that unless he instantly departed, he 
would cause him to be imprisoned, and 
would write to Madrid in order to give 
information of what was going on. The 
excursion lasted about eight days. Im- 
mediately after my return, I despatched 
Victoriano to Caramanchel, a village at 
a short distance from Madrid, the only 
one towards the west which had not 
been visited last year. He staid there 
about an hour, and disposed of twelve 
copies, and then returned, as he was ex- 
ceedingly timid, and was afraid of being 
met by the thieves who swarm on that 
road in the evening. 

Shortly after these events, a circum- 
stance occurred which will, perhaps, 
cause the English reader to smile, whilst, 
at the same time, it will not fail to prove 
interesting, as affording an example of 
the feeling prevalent in some of the lone 
villages of Spain with respect to inno- 
vation and all that savours thereof, and 
the strange acts which are sometimes 
committed by the rural authorities and 
the priests, without the slightest fear of 
being called to account ; for as they live 
quite apart* from the rest of the world, 
they know no people greater than them- 
selves, and scarcely dream of a higher 
power than their own. 

I was about to make an excursion to 
Guadalajara, and the villages of Alcar- 
ria, about seven leagues distant from 
Madrid ; indeed I merely awaited the 
return of Victoriano to sally forth ; I 
having despatched him in that direction 
with a few Testaments, as a kind of ex- 



* Kara rev t6ttov kou 6 rpSrros, as An* 

tonio said. 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



[chap. xlvi. 



plorer, in order that, from his report as | 
to the disposition manifested by the 
people for purchasing, I might form a 
tolerably accurate opinion as to the 
number of copies which it might be ne- 
cessary to carry with me. However, I 
heard nothing of him for a fortnight, at 
the end of which period a letter was 
brought to me by a peasant, dated from 
the prison of Fuente la Higuera, a vil- 
lage eight leagues from Madrid, in the 
Campina of Alcala : this letter, written 
by Victoriano, gave me to understand 
that he had been already eight days im- 
prisoned, and that unless I could find 
some means to extricate him, there was 
every probability of his remaining in 
durance until he should perish with 
hunger, which he had no doubt would 
occur as soon as his money was ex- 
hausted. From what I afterwards 
learned, it appeared that, after pass- 
ing the town of Alcala, he had com- 
menced distributing, and with consider- 
able success. His entire stock consisted 
of sixty-one Testaments, twenty-five of 
which he sold without the slightest dif- 
ficulty or interruption in the single vil- 
lage of Arganza; the poor labourers 
showering blessings on his head for pro- 
viding them with such good books at an 
easy price. 

Not more than eighteen of his books 
remained, when he turned off the high 
road towards Fuente la Higuera. This 
place was already tolerably well known 
to Mm, he having visited it of old, when 
he travelled the country in the capacity 
of a vender of cacharras or earthen 
pans. He subsequently stated that he 
felt some misgiving whilst on the way, 
as the village had invariably borne a 
bad reputation. On his arrival, after ] 
having put up his cavallejo or little 
pony at a posada, he proceeded to the 
alcalde for the purpose of asking per- 
mission to sell the books, which that | 
dignitary immediately granted. He 
now entered a house and, sold a copy, 
and likewise a second. Emboldened 
by success, he entered a third, which, 
it appeared, belonged to the barber- 
surgeon of the village. This personage 
having just completed his dinner, was 
seated in an arm-chair within his door- 
way, when Victoriano made his appear- 



ance. He was a man about thirty-five, 
of a savage truculent countenance. On 
Victoriano' s offering him a Testament, 
he took it in his hand to examine it ; 
but no sooner did his eyes glance over 
the title-page than he burst out into a 
loud laugh, exclaiming — " Ha, ha, Don 
Jorge Borrow, the English heretic, we 
have encountered you at last. Glory- 
to the Virgin and the Saints! We 
have long been expecting you here, 
and at length you are arrived." He 
then inquired the price of the book, 
and on being told three reals, he flung 
down two, and rushed out of the house 
with the Testament in his hand. 

Victoriano now became alarmed, and 
determined upon leaving the place as 
soon as possible. He therefore hurried 
back to the posada, and having paid for 
the barley which his pony had con- 
sumed, went into the stable, and plac- 
ing the packsaddle on the animal's 
back, was about to lead it forth, when 
the alcalde of the village, the surgeon, 
and twelve other men, some of whom 
were armed with muskets, suddenly 
presented themselves. They instantly 
made Victoriano prisoner; and, after 
seizing the books and laying an em- 
bargo on the pony, proceeded, amidst 
much abuse, to drag the captive to 
what they denominated their prison, a 
low damp apartment with a little grated 
window, where they locked him up and 
left him. At the expiration of three- 
quarters of an hour they again ap- 
peared, and conducted him to the house 
of the curate, where they sat down in 
conclave : the curate, who was a man 
stone blind, presiding, whilst the sacris- 
tan officiated as secretary. The surgeon 
having stated his accusation against the 
prisoner— namely, that he had detected 
him in the fact of selling a version of 
the Scriptures in the vulgar tongue — 
the curate proceeded to examine Vic- 
toriano, asking him his name and place 
of residence ; to which he replied that 
his name was Victoriano Lopez, and 
that he was a native of Villa Seca, in 
the Sagra of Toledo. The curate then 
demanded what religion he professed ? 
and whether he was a Mahometan or 
freemason? and received for answer 
that he was a Roman Catholic. I 



:hap. xlvi."| 



THE BIBLE 



IN SPAIN. 



267 



tnust here state that Victoriano, though 
sufficiently shrewd in his way, was a 
poor old labourer of sixty-four; and 
until that moment had never heard 
either of Mahometans or freemasons. 
The curate becoming now incensed, 
called him a tunante or scoundrel, and 
added, " You have sold your soul to a 
heretic; we have long been aware of 
your proceedings, and those of your 
master. You are the same Lopez 
whom he last year rescued from the 
prison of Villallos, in the province of 
Avila; I sincerely hope that he will 
attempt to do the same thing here." 
" Yes, yes," shouted the rest of the 
conclave, "let him but venture here, 
and we will shed his heart's blood on 
our stones." In this manner they went 
on for nearly half an hour. At last they 
broke up the meeting, and conducted 
Victoriano once more to his prison. 

During his confinement he lived 
tolerably well, being in possession of 
money. His meals were sent him 
twice a day from the posada, where 
his pony remained in embargo. Once 
or twice he asked permission of the 
alcalde, who visited him every night 
and morning with his armed guard, to 
purchase pen and paper, in order that 
lie might write to Madrid ; but this 
favour was peremptorily refused him, 
and all the inhabitants of the village 
were forbidden under terrible penalties 
to afford him the means of writing, or 
to convey any message from him be- 
yond the precincts of the place, and two 
boys were stationed before the window 
of his cell for the purpose of watching 
everything which might be conveyed 
to him. 

It happened one day that Victoriano, 
being in need of a pillow, sent word to 
the people of the posada to send him 
his alforjas or saddle-bags, which they 
did. In these bags there chanced to be 
a kind of rope, or, as it is called in Spa- 
nish, soga, with which he was in the 
habit of fastening his satchel to the 
pony's back. The urchins seeing an 
end of this rope, hanging from the 
alforjas, instantly ran to the alcalde to 
give him information. Late at even- 
ing, the alcalde again visited the pri- 
soner at the head of his twelve men | 



as usual. " Buenas noches" said the 
alcalde. " Buenas noches tenga listed," 
replied Victoriano. "For what pur- 
pose did you send for the soga this 
afternoon ?" demanded the functionary. 
" I sent for no soga," said the prisoner, 
" I sent for my alforjas to serve as a 
pillow, and it was sent in them by 
chance." " You are a false malicious 
knave," retorted the alcalde ; " you in- 
tend to hang yourself, and by so doing 
ruin us all, as your death would be laid 
at our door. Give me the soga." No 
greater insult can be offered to a Spa- 
niard than to tax him with an intention 
of committing suicide. Poor Victori- 
ano flew into a violent rage ; and, after 
calling the alcalde several very uncivil 
names, he pulled the soga from his 
bags, flung it at his head, and told him 
to take it home and use it for his own 
neck. 

At length the people of the posada 
took pity on the prisoner, perceiving 
that he was very harshly treated for no 
crime at all ; they therefore determined 
to afford him an opportunity of inform- 
ing his friends of his situation, and 
accordingly sent him a pen and ink- 
horn, concealed in a loaf of bread, and 
a piece of writing-paper, pretending 
that the latter was intended for cigars. 
So Victoriano wrote the letter : but 
now ensued the difficulty of sending it 
to its destination, as no person in the 
village dare have carried it for any re- 
ward. The good people, however, per- 
suaded a disbanded soldier from another 
village, who chanced to be at Fuente la 
Higuera in quest of work, to charge 
himself with it, assuring him that I 
would pay him well for his trouble. 
The man, watching his opportunity, 
received the letter from Victoriano at 
the window : and it was he who, after 
travelling on foot all night, delivered it 
to me in safety at Madrid. 

I was now relieved from my anxiety, 
and had no fears for the result, I in- 
stantly went to a friend who is in pos- 
session of large estates about Guadala- 
jara, in which province Fuente la Hi- 
guera is situated, who furnished me 
with letters to the civil governor of 
Guadalajara and all the principal au- 
> tnonues • these I delivered to Antonio 



268 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



[chap, xlvl 



whom at his own request, I despatched 
on the errand of the prisoner's libera- 
tion. He first directed his course to 
Fuente la Higuera, where, entering the 
alcalde's house, he boldly told him 
what he had come about. The alcalde 
expecting that I was at hand, with an 
army of Englishmen, for the purpose 
of rescuing the prisoner, became greatly 
alarmed, and instantly despatched his 
wife to summon his twelve men : how- 
ever, on Antonio's assuring him that 
there was no intention of having re- 
course to violence, he became more 
tranquil. In a short time Antonio was 
summoned before the conclave and its 
blind sacerdotal president. They at 
first attempted to frighten him by 
assuming a loud bullying tone, and 
talking of the necessity of killing all 
strangers, and especially the detested 
Don Jorge and his dependents. Anto- 
nio, however, who was not a person apt 
to allow himself to be easily terrified, 
scoffed at their threats, and, showing 
them his letters to the authorities of 
Guadalajara, said that he should pro- 
ceed there on the morrow and denounce 
their lawless conduct; adding that he 
was a Turkish subject, and that should 
they dare to offer him the slightest in- 
civility, he would write to the Sublime 
Porte, in comparison with whom the 
best kings in the world were but 
worms, and who would not fail to 
avenge the wrongs of any of his 
children, however distant, in a manner 
too terrible to be mentioned. He then 
returned to his posada. The conclave 
now proceeded to deliberate amongst 
themselves, and at last determined to 
send their prisoner on the morrow to 
Guadalajara, and deliver him into the 
hands of the civil governor. 

Nevertheless, in order to keep up a 
semblance of authority, they that night I 
placed two men armed at the door of | 



the posada where Antonio was lodged 
as if he himself were a prisoner. 
These men, as often as the clock 
struck the hour, shouted " Ave Maria ! 
Death to the heretics !" Early in the 
morning the alcalde presented himself 
at the posada ; but before entering he 
made an oration at the door to the peo- 
ple in the street, saying, amongst other 
things, " Brethren, these are the fel- 
lows who have come to rob us of our 
religion." He then went in to Anto- 
nio's apartment, and after saluting him 
with great politeness, said, that as a 
royal or high mass was about to be 
celebrated that morning, he had come 
to invite him to go to church with 
him. Whereupon Antonio, though by 
no means a mass-goer, rose and accom- 
panied him, and remained two hours, 
as he told me, on his knees on the cold 
stones, to his great discomfort ; the 
eyes of the whole congregation being 
fixed upon him during the time. 

After mass and breakfast, he de- 
parted for Guadalajara, Victoriano 
having been already despatched under 
a guard. On his arrival, he presented 
his letters to the individuals for whom 
they were intended. The civil gover- 
nor was convulsed with merriment on 
hearing Antonio's account of the ad- 
venture. Victoriano was set at liberty, 
and the books were placed in embargo 
at Guadalajara; the governor stating, 
however, that though it was his duty 
to detain them at present, they should 
be sent to me whenever I chose to 
claim them : he, moreover, said that he 
would do his best to cause the authori- 
ties of Fuente la Higuera to be severely 
punished, as in the whole affair they 
had acted in the most cruel, tyrannical 
manner, for which they had no autho- 
rity. Thus terminated this affair : one 
I of those little accidents which chequer 
| missionary life in Spain. 



I 269 J 



CHAPTER XLVIL 

Termination of our Rural Labours — Alarm of tne Clergy — A new Experiment — Success a'. 
Madrid — Goblin-Alguazil — Staff of Office — The Corregidor — An Explanation — The Pope in 
England — New Testament expounded — Works of Luther. 



We proceeded in our task of distribut- 
ing the Scriptures with various success, 
until the middle of March, when I de- 
termined upon starting for Talavera, 
for the purpose of seeing what it was 
possible to accomplish in that town and 
the neighbourhood. I accordingly bent 
my course in that direction, accompa- 
nied by Antonio and Victoriano. On 
our way thither we stopped at Naval 
Carnero, a large village five leagues to 
the west of Madrid, where I remained 
three days, sending forth Victoriano to 
the circumjacent hamlets with small 
cargoes of Testaments. Providence, 
however, which had hitherto so re- 
markably favoured us in these rural 
excursions, now withdrew from us its 
support, and brought them to a sudden 
termination : for in whatever place the 
sacred writings were offered for sale, 
they were forthwith seized by persons 
who appeared to be upon the watch; 
which events compelled me to alter my 
intention of proceeding to Talavera, and 
to return forthwith to Madrid. 

I subsequently learned that our pro- 
ceedings on the other side of Madrid 
having caused alarm amongst the heads 
of the clergy, they had made a formal 
complaint to the government, who im- 
mediately sent orders to all the alcaldes 
of the villages, great and small, in New 
Castile, to seize the New Testament 
wherever it might be exposed for sale ; 
but, at the same time, enjoining them to 
be particularly careful not to detain or 
maltreat the person or persons who 
might be attempting to vend it. An 
exact description of myself accompa- 
nied these orders ; and the authorities, 
both civil and military, were exhorted 
to be on their guard against me and 
my arts and machinations: for, as the 



document stated, I was to-day in one 
place, and to-morrow at twenty leagues' 
distance. 

I was not much discouraged by this 
blow, which, indeed, did not come en- 
tirely unexpected. I, however, deter- 
mined to change the sphere of action, 
and not expose the sacred volume to 
seizure at every step which I should 
take to circulate it. In my late attempts 
I had directed my attention exclusively 
to the villages and small towns, in which 
it was quite easy for the government to 
frustrate my efforts by means of circu- 
lars to the local authorities, who would, 
of course, be on the alert, and whose 
vigilance it would be impossible to 
baffLe, as every novelty which occurs 
in a small place is forthwith bruited 
about. But the case would be widely 
different amongst the crowds of the 
capital, where I could pursue my la- 
bours with comparative secrecy. My 
present plan was to abandon the rural 
districts, and to offer the sacred volume 
at Madrid, from house to house, at the 
same low price as in the country. This 
plan I forthwith put into execution. 

Having an extensive acquaintance 
amongst the lower orders, I selected 
eight intelligent individuals to co-ope- 
rate with me, amongst whom were five 
women. All these I supplied with 
Testaments, and then sent them forth 
to all the parishes in Madrid. The re- 
sult of their efforts more than answered 
my expectations. In less than fifteen 
days after my return from Naval Car- 
nero, nearly six hundred copies of the 
life and words of Him of Nazareth had 
been sold in the streets and alleys of 
Madrid : a fact which I hope I may be 
permitted to mention with gladness and 
with decent triumph in the Lord. 



270 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



[CHAP. XLVII 



One of the richest streets is the Calle 
Montera, where reside the principal 
merchants and shopkeepers of Madrid. 
It is, in fact, the street of commerce, in 
which respect, and in being a favourite 
promenade, it corresponds with the far- 
famed " Nefsky " of Saint Petersburg. 
Every house in this street was supplied 
with its Testament, and the same might 
be said with respect to the Puerto del 
Sol. Nay, in some instances, every in- 
dividual in the house, man and child, 
man-servant and maid-servant, was 
furnished with a copy. My Greek, 
Antonio, made wonderful exertions in 
this quarter ; and it is but justice to say 
that, but for his instrumentality, on 
many occasions, I might have been by 
no means able to give so favourable an 
account of the spread of " the Bible in 
Spain." There was a time when I was 
in the habit of saying " dark Madrid," 
an expression which, I thank God, I 
could now drop. It were scarcely just 
to call a city " dark," in which thirteen 
hundred Testaments at least were in 
circulation, and in daily use. 

It was now that I turned to account 
a supply of Bibles which I had received 
from Barcelona, in sheets, at the com- 
mencement of the preceding year. The 
demand for the entire Scriptures was 
great ; indeed far greater than I could 
answer, as the books were disposed of 
faster than they could be bound by the 
man whom I employed for that pur- 
pose. Eight-and-twenty copies were 
bespoken and paid for before delivery. 
Many of these Bibles found their way 
into the best houses in Madrid. The 
Marquis of * * * * had a large family, 
but every individual of it, old and 
young, was in possession of a Bible, and 
likewise a Testament, which, strange to 
say, were recommended by the chaplain 
of the house. One of my most zealous 
agents in the propagation of the Bible 
was an ecclesiastic. He never walked 
out without carrying one beneath his 
gown, which he offered to the first per- 
son he met whom he thought likely to 
purchase. Another excellent assistant 
was an elderly gentleman of Navarre, 
enormously rich, who was continually 
purchasing copies od his own account, 
which he, as I was told, sent into his 



native province, for distribution amongst 
his friends and the poor. 

On a certain night I had retired to 
rest rather more early than usual, being 
slightly indisposed. I soon fell asleep", 
and had continued so for some hours, 
when I was suddenly aroused by the 
opening of the door of the small apart- 
ment in which I lay. I started up, 
and beheld Maria Diaz, with a lamp in 
her hand, enter the room. I observed 
that her features, which were in general 
peculiarly calm and placid, wore a some- 
what startled expression. " What is 
the hour, and what brings you here ? " 
I demanded. 

" Senor," said she, closing the door, 
and coming up to the bed-side, " it is 
close upon midnight ; but a messenger 
belonging to the police has just entered 
the house, and demanded to see you. 
I told him that it was impossible, for 
that your worship was in bed. Where- 
upon he sneezed in my face, and said 
that he would see you if you were in 
your coffin. He has all the look of a 
goblin, and has thrown me into a tremor. 
I am far from being a timid person, as 
you are aware, Don Jorge ; but I con- 
fess that I never cast my eyes on these 
wretches of the police, but my heart 
dies away within me ! I know them 
but too well, and what they are capable 
of." 

" Pooh," said I, " be under no ap- 
prehension, let him come in, I fear him 
not, whether he be alguazil or hob- 
goblin, Stand, however, at the door- 
way, that you may be a witness of what 
takes place, as it is more than probable 
that he comes at this unseasonable hour 
to create a disturbance, that he may 
have an opportunity of making an un- 
favourable report to his principals, like 
the fellow on the former occasion." 

The hostess left the apartment, and 
I heard her say a word or two to some 
one in the passage, whereupon there was 
a loud sneeze, and in a moment after a 
singular figure appeared at the door- 
way. It was that of a very old man, 
with long white hair, which escaped 
from beneath the eaves of an exceed- 
ingly high-peaked hat. He stooped 
considerably, and moved along with a 
shambling gait. 1 could not see much 



CHAP. XLVII.] 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



271 



of his face, which, as the landlady stood 
behind him with the lamp, was conse- 
quently in deep shadow. I could ob- 
serve, however, that his eyes sparkled 
like those of a ferret. He advanced to 
the foot of the bed, in which I was still 
lying, wondering what this strange visit 
could mean ; and there he stood gazing 
at me for a minute, at least, without 
uttering a syllable. Suddenly, how- 
ever, he protruded a spare skinny hand 
from the cloak in which it had hitherto 
been enveloped, and pointed with a 
short staff, tipped with metal, in the 
direction of my face, as if he were com- 
mencing an exorcism. He appeared 
to be about to speak, but his words, if 
he intended any, were stifled in their 
birth by a sudden sternutation which 
escaped him, and which was so violent 
that the hostess started back, exclaim- 
ing, " Ave Maria purissima ! " and 
nearly dropped the lamp in her alarm. 

" My good person," said I, " what 
do you mean by this foolish hobgob- 
linry ? If you have anything to com- 
municate do so at once, and go about 
your business. I am unwell, and you 
are depriving me of my repose." 

" By the virtue of this staff," said 
the old man, " and the authority which 
it gives me to do and say that which is 
convenient, I do command, order, and 
summon you to appear to-morrow, at 
the eleventh hour, at the office of my 
lord the corregidor of this village of 
Madrid, in order that, standing before 
him humbly, and with befitting reve- 
rence, you may listen to whatever he 
may have to say, or, if necessary, may 
yield yourself up to receive the casti- 
gation of any crimes which you may 
have committed, whether trivial or 
enormous. Tenez, compere," he added, 
in most villanous French, " voila mon 
affaire ; voila ce que je viens vous dire." 

Thereupon he glared at me for a 
moment, nodded his head twice, and 
replacing his staff beneath his cloak, 
shambled out of the room, and with a 
valedictory sneeze in the passage left 
the honse. 

Precisely at eleven on the following 
day I attended at the office of the cor- 
regidor. He was not the individual 
whose anger I had incurred on a former 



occasion, and who had thought proper 
to imprison me, but another person, I 
believe a Catalan, whose name I have 
also forgotten. Indeed, these civil em- 
ployments were at this period given to- 
day and taken away to-morrOw, so 
that the person who held one of them 
for a month might consider himself a 
functionary of long standing. I was 
not kept waiting a moment, but as soon 
as I had announced myself, was forth- 
with ushered into the presence of the 
corregidor, a good-looking, portly, and 
well-dressed personage, seemingly about 
fifty. He was writing at a desk when 
I entered, but almost immediately arose 
and came towards me. He looked me 
Ml in the face, and I, nothing abashed, 
kept my eyes fixed upon his. He had, 
perhaps, expected a less independent 
bearing, and that I should have quaked 
and crouched before him : but now, 
conceiving himself bearded in his own 
den, his old Spanish leaven was forth- 
with stirred up. He plucked his whis- 
kers fiercely. " Escuchad," said he, 
casting upon me a ferocious glance, 
" I wish to ask you a question." 

" Before I answer any question of 
your excellency," said I, " I shall take 
the liberty of putting one myself. What 
law or reason is there that I, a peace- 
able individual and a foreigner, should 
have my rest disturbed by duevdes and 
hobgoblins sent at midnight to summon 
me to appear at public offices like a 
criminal ? 99 

" You do not speak the truth," shouted 
the corregidor ; " the person sent to sum- 
mon you was neither duende nor hob- 
goblin, but one of the most ancient and 
respectable officers of this casa, and so 
far from being despatched at midnight, 
it wanted twenty-five minutes to that 
hour by my own watch when he left 
this office, and as your lodging is not 
distant, he must have arrived there at 
least ten minutes before midnight, so 
that you are by no means accurate, 
and are found wanting in regard to 
truth." 

" A distinction without a difference," 
I replied. " For my own part, if I am 
to be disturbed in my sleep, it is of 
little consequence whether at midnight 
or ten minutes before that time : and 



272 



THE BIBLE 



IN SPAIN. 



[chap, xlvil 



with respect to your messenger, al- 
though he might not be a hobgoblin, 
he had all the appearance of one, and 
assuredly answered the purpose, by 
frightening the woman of the house 
almost into fits by his hideous grimaces 
and sneezing convulsions/' 

Corregidor. — You are a — I know not 
what. Do you know that I have the 
power to imprison you ? 

Myself. — You have twenty alguazils 
at your beck and call, and have of course 
the power, and so had your predecessor, 
who nearly lost his situation by im- 
prisoning me ; but you know full well 
that you have not the right, as I am not 
under your jurisdiction, but that of the 
captain-general. If I have obeyed your 
summons, it was simply because I had 
a curiosity to know what you wanted 
with me, and from no other motive 
whatever. As for imprisoning me, I 
beg leave to assure you, that you have 
my full consent to do so ; the most 
polite society in Madrid is to be found 
in the prison, and as I am at present 
compiling a vocabulary of the language 
of the Madrilenian thieves, I should 
have, in being imprisoned, an excellent 
opportunity of completing it. There 
is much to be learnt even in the prison, 
for, as the Gypsies say, " The dog that 
trots about finds a bone." 

Corregidor. — Your words are not 
those of a Caballero. Do you forget 
where you are, and in whose presence ? 
'Is this a fitting place to talk of thieves 
and Gypsies in ? 

Myself. — Really I know of no place 
more fitting, unless it be the prison. 
But we are wasting time, and I am 
tnxious to know for what I have been 
summoned ; whether for crimes trivial 
or enormous, as the messenger said. 

It was a long time before I could 
obtain the required information from 
the incensed corregidor; at last, how- 
ever, it came. It appeared that a box 
of Testaments, which I had despatched 
to Naval Carnero, had been seized by 
the local authorities, and having been 
detained there for some time, was at 
last sent back to Madrid, intended, as it 
now appeared, for the hands of the cor- 
regidor. One day as it was lying at the 
waggon-office, Antonio chanced to enter 



on some business of his own and re- 
cognised the box, which he instantly 
claimed as my property, and having 
paid the carriage, removed it to my 
warehouse. He had considered the 
matter as of so little importance, that 
he had not as yet mentioned it to me. 
The poor corregidor, however, had no 
doubt that it was a deep-laid scheme to 
plunder and insult him. And now, 
working himself up into almost a frenzy 
of excitement, he stamped on the ground, 
exclaiming, " Que picardia ! Que in- 
famia ! " 

The old system, thought I, of pre- 
judging people, and imputing to them 
motives and actions of which they 
never dreamed. I then told him frankly 
that I was entirely ignorant of the cir- 
cumstance by which he had felt him- 
self aggrieved: but that if, upon in- 
quiry, I found that the chest had ac- 
tually been removed by my servant 
from the office to which it had been 
forwarded, I would cause it forthwith 
to be restored, although it was my own 
property. " I have plenty more Testa- 
ments," said I, " and can afford to lose 
fifty or a hundred. I am a man of 
peace, and wish not to have any dispute 
with the authorities for the sake of an 
old chest and a cargo of books, whose 
united value would scarcely amount to 
forty dollars." 

He looked at me for a moment, as if 
in doubt of my sincerity, then, again 
plucking his whiskers, he forthwith 
proceeded to attack me in another 
quarter: " Pero que infamia, que pi- 
cardia ! to come into Spain for the pur- 
pose of overturning the religion of the 
country. What would you say if the 
Spaniards were to go to England and 
attempt to overturn the Lutheranism 
established there ? " 

" They would be most heartily wel- 
come," I replied ; " more especially if 
they would attempt to do so by circu- 
lating the Bible, the book of Christians, 
even as the English are doing in Spain. 
But your excellency is not perhaps 
aware that the Pope has a fair field and 
fair play in England, and is permitted 
to make as many converts from Luther- 
anism every day in the week as are dis- 
posed to go over to him. He cannot 



CHAP. XLVII.J 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



273 



boast, however, of much success ; the 
people are too fond of light to embrace 
darkness, and would smile at the idea 
of exchanging their Gospel privileges 
for the superstitious ceremonies and 
observances of the church of Rome." 

On my repeating my promise that 
the books and chest should be forthwith 
restored, the corregidor declared him- 
self satisfied, and all of a sudden be- 
came excessively polite and condescend- 
ing : he even went so far as to say that 
he left it entirely with myself, whether 
to return the books or not ; " and," 
continued he, " before you go, I wish 
to tell you that my private opinion is, 
that it is highly advisable in all countries 
to allow full and perfect tolerance in 
religious matters, and to permit every 
religious system to stand or fall accord- 
ing to its own merits." 

Such were the concluding words of the 
corregidor of Madrid, which, whether 
they expressed his private opinion or 
not, were certainly grounded on sense 
and reason. I saluted him respectfully 
and retired, and forthwith performed 
my promise with regard to the books ; 
and thus terminated this affair. 

It almost appeared to me at this time 
that a religious reform was commenc- 
ing in Spain; indeed, matters had of 
late come to my knowledge, which, had 
they been prophesied only a year before, 
I should have experienced much diffi- 
culty in believing. 

The reader will be surprised when I 
state that, in two churches of Madrid, 
the New Testament was regularly ex- 
pounded every Sunday evening, by the 
respective curates, to about twenty chil- 
dren who attended, and who were all 
provided with copies of the Society's 
edition of Madrid, 1837. The churches 
which I allude to were those of San 
Gines and Santa Cruz. Now I humbly 
conceive that this fact alone is more 
than equivalent to all the expense which 
the Society had incurred in the efforts 
which it had been making to introduce 
the Gospel into Spain ; but be this as it 
may, I am certain- that it amply recom- 
pensed me for all the anxiety and un- 
| happiness which I had undergone. I 
now felt that whenever I should be 
compelled to discontinue my labours m 



the Peninsula, I should retire without 
the slightest murmur, my heart being 
filled with gratitude to the Lord for 
having permitted me, useless vessel as 
I was, to see at least some of the seed 
springing up, which during two years 
I had been casting on the stony ground 
of the interior of Spain. 

When I recollected the difficulties 
which had encompassed our path, I 
could sometimes hardly credit all that 
the Almighty had permitted us to ac- 
complish within the last year. A large 
edition of the New Testament had been 
almost entirely disposed of in the very 
centre of Spain, in spite of the opposi- 
tion and the furious cry of the sangui- 
nary priesthood and the edicts of a de- 
ceitful government, and a spirit of re- 
ligious inquiry excited, which I had 
fervent hope would sooner or later lead 
to blessed and most important results. 
Till of late the name most abhorred and 
dreaded in these parts of Spain was that 
of Martin Luther, who was in general 
considered as a. species of demon, a 
cousin-german to Belial and Beelze- 
bub, who, under the disguise of a man. 
wrote and preached blasphemy against 
the Highest ; yet now, strange to say, 
this once abominated personage was 
spoken of with no slight degree of re- 
spect. People with Bibles in their 
hands not unfrequently visited me, in- 
quiring with much earnestness, and 
with no slight degree of simplicity, for 
the writings of the great Doctor Martin, 
whom, indeed, some supposed to be 
still alive. 

It will be as well here to observe, 
that of all the names connected with 
the Reformation, that of Luther is the 
only one known in Spain ; and let me 
add, that no controversial writings but 
his are likely to be esteemed as pos- 
sessing the slightest weight or authority, 
however great their intrinsic merit may 
be. The common description of tracts, 
written with the view of exposing the 
errors of popery, are therefore not cal- 
culated to prove of much benefit in 
Spain, though it is probable that much 
good might be accomplished by well 
executed translations of judicious selec* 
tions from the works of Luther. 

T 2 



I 



; s>74 1 



CHAPTER XLV1IL 



Projected Journey — A Scene of Blood — The Friar — Seville — Beauties of Seville — Orange Tre^s 
and Flowers— Murillo — The Guardian Angel — Dionysius — My Coadjutors — Demanu. fcr 
the Bible. 



By the middle of April I had sold as 
many Testaments as I thought Madrid 
would bear : I therefore called in my 
people, for I was afraid to overstock 
the market, and to bring the book into 
contempt by making it too common. I 
had, indeed, by this time, barely a thou- 
sand copies remaining of the edition 
which I had printed two years previ- 
ously ; and with respect to Bibles, every 
copy was by this time disposed of, though 
there was still a great demand for them, 
which, of course, I was unable to satisfy. 

With the remaining copies of the 
Testament, I now determined to betake 
myself to Seville, where little had hi- 
therto been effected in the way of cir- 
culation • my preparations were soon 
made. The roads were at this time in 
a highly dangerous state, on which ac- 
count I thought to go along with a con- 
voy, which was about to start for An- 
dalusia. Two days, however, before its 
departure, understanding that the num- 
ber of people who likewise proposed to 
avail themselves of it was likely to be 
very great, and reflecting on the slow- 
ness of this way of travelling, and 
moreover the insults to which civilians 
were frequently subjected from the 
soldiers and petty officers, I determined 
to risk the journey with the mail. This 
resolution I carried into effect. An- 
tonio, whom I had resolved to take 
with me, and my two horses, departed 
with the convoy, whilst in a few days 
I followed with the mail courier. We 
travelled all the way without the 
slightest accident, my usual wonderful 
good fortune accompanying us. I 
might well call it wonderful, for I was 
running into the den of the lion ; the 
whole of La Mancha, with the excep- 
tion of a few fortified place-, being 
once more in the hands of Palilics and 
his banditti, who, whenever it pleased 



them, stopped the courier, burnt the 
vehicle and letters, murdered the paltry 
escort, and carried away any chance 
passenger to the mountains, where an 
enormous ransom was demanded, the 
alternative being four shots through 
the head, as the Spaniards say. 

The upper part of Andalusia was be- 
coming rapidly nearly as bad as La 
Mancha. The last time the mail had 
passed, it was attacked at the defile of 
La Rumblar by six mounted robbers ; 
it was guarded by an escort of as many 
soldiers, but the former suddenly gal- 
loped from behind a solitary venta, and 
dashed the soldiers to the ground, who 
were taken quite by surprise, the hoofs 
of the robbers' horses making no noise 
on account of the sandy nature of the 
ground. The soldiers were instantly 
disarmed and bound to olive trees, with 
the exception of two, who escaped 
amongst the rocks ; they were then 
mocked and tormented by the robbers, 
or rather fiendry, for nearly half an 
hour, when they were shot ; the head 
of the corporal who commanded being 
blown to fragments with a blunderbuss. 
The robbers then burned the coach, 
which they accomplished by igniting 
the letters by means of the tow with 
which they light their cigars. The 
life of the courier was saved by one of 
them, who had formerly been his pos- 
tilion; he was, however, robbed and 
stripped. As we passed by the scene 
of the butchery, the poor fellow wept, 
and, though a Spaniard, cursed Spain 
and the Spaniards, saying that he in- 
tended shortly to pass over to the Mo- 
reria, to confess Mahomet, and to learn 
the law of the Moors, for that any 
country and religion were better than 
his own. He pointed to the tree where 
the corporal had been tied; though 
much rain had fa > leu since, the ground 



CHAP. XLV1II.}' 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



275 



•around was still saturated with blood, 
and a dog was gnawing a piece of the 
unfortunate wretch's skull. A friar 
travelled with us the whole way from 
Madrid to Seville ; he was of the mis- 
sionaries, and was going to the Philip- 
pine Islands, to conquer {para conquis- 
tar). for such was his word, by which 
I suppose he meant preaching to the 
Indians. During the whole journey 
he exhibited every symptom of the 
most abject fear, which operated upon 
him so that he became deadly sick, and 
we were obliged to stop twice in the 
road, and lay him amongst the green 
corn. He said that if he fell into the 
hands of the factious, he was a lost 
priest, for that they would first make 
him say mass, and then blow him up 
with gunpowder. He had been pro- 
fessor of philosophy, as he told me, in 
one of the convents (I think it was San 
Thomas) of Madrid before their sup- 
pression, but appeared to be grossly 
ignorant of the Scriptures, which he 
confounded with the works of Virgil. 

We stopped at Manzanares as usual ; 
it was Sunday morning, and the market- 
place was crowded with people. I was 
recognised in a moment, and twenty 
pair of legs instantly hurried away in 
quest of the prophetess, who presently 
made her appearance in the house to 
which we had retired to breakfast. 
After many greetings on both sides, 
she proceeded, in her Latin, to give me 
an account of all that had occurred in 
the village since I had last been there, 
and of the atrocities of the factious in 
the neighbourhood. I atked her to 
breakfast, and introduced her to the 
friar, whom she addressed in this man- 
ner : " Anne Domine jReverendissime 
facts adhuc sacrijicium ? " But the 
friar did not understand her, and, wax- 
ing angry, anathematized her for a 
witch, and bade her begone. She was, 
however, not to be disconcerted, and 
commenced singing, in extemporary 
Castilian verse, the praises of friars 
and religious housts in general. On 
departing I gave her a peseta, upon 
which she burst into tears, and en- 
treated that I would write to her if I 
reached Seville in safety. 

We did arrive at Seville in safety, 



and I took leave of the friar, telling 
him that I hoped to meet him again at 
Philippi. As it was my intention to 
remain at Seville for some months, I 
determined to hire a house, in which I 
conceived I could live with more pri- 
vacy, and at the same time more eco- 
nomically, than in a posada. It was 
not long before I found one in every 
respect suited to me. It was situated 
in the Plazuela de la Pila Seca, a re- 
tired part of the city, in the neighbour- 
hood of the cathedral, and at a short 
distance from the gate of Xeres; and 
in this house, on the arrival of Antonio 
and the horses, which occurred within 
a few clays, I took up my abode. 

I was now once more in beautiful 
Seville, and had soon ample time and 
leisure to enjoy its delights and those 
of the surrounding country. Unfortu- 
nately, at the time of my arrival, and 
indeed for the next ensuing fortnight, 
the heaven of Andalusia, in general so 
glorious, was overcast with black cloud:--, 
which discharged tremendous showers 
of rain, such as few of the Sevillians, 
according to their own account, had 
ever seen before. This extraordinary 
weather had wrought no little damage 
in the neighbourhood, causing the 
Guadalquivir, which, during the rainy 
season, is a rapid and furious stream, 
to overflow its banks, and to threaten 
an inundation. It is true that intervals 
were occurring when the sun made his 
appearance from his cloudy tabernacle, 
and with his golden rays caused every 
thing around to smile, enticing the 
butterfly forth from the bush, and the 
lizard from the hollow tree, and I in- 
variably availed myself of these inter- 
vals to take a hasty promenade. 

O how pleasant it is, especially in 
springtide, to stray along the shores of 
the Guadalquivir! Not far from the 
city, down the river, lies a grove called 
Las Delicias, or the Delights. It con- 
sists of trees of various kinds, but more 
especially of poplars and elms, and is 
traversed by long shady walks. This 
grove is the favourite promenade of the 
Sevillians, and there one occasionally 
sees assembled whatever the town pro- 
duces of beauty or gallantry. There 
wander the black-eyed Andalusian 



276 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



[chap, xlviii. 



da,mes and damsels, clad in their grace- 
ful silken mantillas ; and there gallops 
the Andalusian cavalier, on his long- 
tailed thick-maned steed of Moorish 
ancestry. As the sun is descending, it 
is enchanting to glance back from this 
place in the direction of the city ; the 
prospect is inexpressibly beautiful. 
Yonder in the distance, high and enor- 
mous, stands the Golden Tower, now 
used as a toll-house, but the principal 
bulwark of the city in the time of the 
Moors. It stands on the shore of the 
river, like a giant keeping watch, and 
is the first edifice which attracts the 
eye of the voyager as he moves up the 
stream to Seville. On the other side, 
opposite the tower, stands the noble 
Augustine convent, the ornament of 
the faubourg of Triana, whilst between 
the two edifices rolls the broad Guadal- 
quivir, bearing no its bosom a flotilla 
of barks from Catalonia and Valencia. 
Farther up is seen the bridge of boats, 
which traverses the water. The prin- 
cipal object of this prospect, however, 
is the Golden Tower, where the beams 
of the setting sun seem to be concen- 
trated as in a focus, so that it appears 
built of pure gold, and probably from 
that circumstance received the name 
which it now bears. Cold, cold must 
the heart be which can remain insen- 
sible to the beauties of this magic scene, 
to do justice to which the pencil of 
Claude himself were barely equal. 
Often have I shed tears of rapture 
whilst I beheld it, and listened to the 
thrush and the nightingale piping forth 
their melodious songs in the woods, and 
inhaled the breeze laden with the per- 
fume of the thousand orange gardens of 
Seville : 

" Kermst du das land wo die citronen 
bluhen?" 

The interior of Seville scarcely cor- 
responds with the exterior : the streets 
are narrow, badly paved, and full of 
misery and beggary. The houses are, 
for the most part, built in the Moorish 
fashion, with a quadrangular patio or 
court in the centre, where stands a 
marble fountain, constantly distilling 
limpid water. These courts, during 
the time of the summer heats, are co- 
vered over with a canvas awning, and 



beneath this the family sit during the 
greater part of the day. In many, es- 
pecially those belonging to the houses 
of the wealthy, are to be found shrubs, 
orange trees, and all kinds of .flowers, 
and perhaps a small aviary, so that no 
situation can be conceived more deli- 
cious than to lie here in the shade, 
hearkening to the song of the birds and 
the voice of the fountain. 

Nothing is more calculated to inte- 
rest the stranger as he wanders through 
Seville, than a view of these courts, ob- 
tained from the street through the iron- 
grated door. Oft have I stopped to 
observe them, and as often sighed that 
my fate did not permit me to reside in 
such an Eden for the remainder of my 
days. On a former occasion I have 
spoken of the cathedral of Seville, but 
only in a brief and cursory manner. 
It is, perhaps, the most magnificent 
cathedral in all Spain, and though not 
so regular in its architecture as those 
of Toledo and Burgos, is far more 
worthy of admiration when considered 
as a whole. It is utterly impossible to 
wander through the long aisles, and to 
raise one's eyes to the richly inlaid 
roof, supported by colossal pillars, 
without experiencing sensations of sa- 
cred awe and deep astonishment. It 
is true that the interior, like those of 
the generality of the Spanish cathe- 
drals, is somewhat dark and gloomy ; 
yet it loses nothing by this gloom, 
which, on the contrary, rather increases 
the solemnity of the effect. Notre Dame 
of Paris is a noble building, yet to him 
who has seen the Spanish cathedrals, 
and particularly this of Seville, it al- 
most appears trivial and mean, and more 
like a town-hall than a temple of the 
Eternal. The Parisian cathedral is en- 
tirely destitute of that solemn darkness 
and gloomy pomp which so abound in 
the Sevillian, and is thus destitute of the 
principal requisite to a cathedral. 

In most rf the chapels are to be 
found some of the very best pictures of 
the Spanish school ; and, in particular, 
many of the master-pieces of Murillo, 
a native of Seville. Of all the pictures 
of this extraordinary man, one of the 
least celebrated is that which has always 
wrought on me the most profound im- 



CHAP. XLVIII.J 



THE BIBLE 



IN SPAIN. 



277 



pression. I allude to the Guardian 
Angel (Angel de la Guardia), a small 
picture which stands at the bottom of 
the church, and looks up the principal 
aisle. The angel, holding a flaming 
sword in his right hand, is conducting 
the child : this child is, in my opinion, 
the most wonderful of all the creations 
of Murillo ; the form is that of an in- 
fant about five years of age, and the 
expression of the countenance is quite 
infantine, but the tread — it is the tread 
of a conqueror, of a God, of the Creator 
of the universe ; and the earthly globe 
appears to tremble beneath its majesty. 

The service of the cathedral is in 
general well attended, especially when 
it is known that a sermon is to be 
preached. All these sermons are ex- 
temporaneous ; some of them are edi- 
fying, and faithful to the Scriptures. I 
have often listened to them with plea- 
sure, though I was much surprised to 
remark, that when the preachers quoted 
from the Bible, their quotations were 
almost invariably taken from the apo- 
cryphal writings. There is in general 
no lack of worshippers at the principal 
shrines — women for the most part — 
many of whom appear to be animated 
with the most fervent devotion. 

I had flattered myself, previous to 
,my departure from Madrid, that I 
should experience but little difficulty 
in the circulation of the Gospel in 
Andalusia, at least for a time, as the 
field was new, and myself and the ob- 
ject of my mission less known and 
dreaded than in New Castile. It ap- 
peared, however, that the government 
at Madrid had fulfilled its threat, trans- 
mitting orders throughout Spain for 
the seizure of my books wherever found. 
The Testaments that arrived from Ma- 
drid were seized at the custom-house, 
to which place all goods on their arri- 
val, even from the interior, are carried, 
in order that a duty be imposed upon 
them. Through the management of 
Antonio, however, I procured one of 
the two chests, whilst the other was sent 
down to San Lucar, to be embarked for 
a foreign land as soon as I could make 
arrangements for that purpose. 

I did not permit myself to be discou- 
ixigedby this slight contretemps, although 



I heartily regretted the loss of the books 
which had been seized, and which 1 
could no longer hope to circulate in 
these parts, where they were so much 
wanted ; but I consoled myself with 
the reflection, that I had still several 
hundred at my disposal, from the distri- 
bution of which, if it pleased the Lord, 
a blessed harvest might still proceed. 

I did not commence operations for 
some time, for I was in a strange place, 
and scarcely knew what course to pur- 
sue. I had no one to assist me but 
poor Antonio, who was as ignorant ot 
the place as myself. Providence, how- 
ever, soon sent me a coadjutor in rather 
a singular manner. I was standing in 
the court-yard of the Reyna Posada, 
where I occasionally dined, when a 
man, singularly dressed and giganti- 
cally tall, entered. My curiosity was 
excited, and I inquired of the master 
of the house who he was. He informed 
me that he was a foreigner, who had 
resided a considerable time in Seville, 
and he believed a Greek. Upon hear- 
ing this, I instantly went up to the 
stranger, and accosted him in the Greek 
language, in which, though I speak it 
very ill, I can make myself understood. 
He replied in the same idiom, and, flat- 
tered by the interest which I, a foreigner, 
expressed for his nation, was not slow 
in communicating to me his history. 
He told me that his name was Diony- 
sius, that he was a native of Cepha- 
lonia, and had been educated for the 
church, which, not suiting his temper, 
he had abandoned, in order to follow 
the profession of the sea, for which he 
had an early inclination. That after 
many adventures and changes of for- 
tune, ne fomid himself one morning on 
the coast of Spain, a shipwrecked ma- 
riner, and that, ashamed to return to 
his own country in poverty and dis- 
tress, he had remained in the Penin- 
sula, residing chiefly at Seville, where 
he now carried on a small trade in 
books. He said that he was of the 
Greek religion, to which he professed 
strong attachment, and, soon discover- 
ing that I was a Protestant, spoke with 
unbounded abhorrence of the papal 
system ; nay, of its followers in gene- 
ral, whom he called Latins, and whom 



278 



THE BIBLE 1^ SPAIN. 



[CHAl J . XLVIII. 



he charged with the ruin of his own 
country, inasmuch as they sold it to 
the Turk. It instantly struck me, that 
this individual would be an excellent 
assistant in the work which had brought 
me to Seville, namely, the propagation 
of the eternal Gospel ; and, accordingly, 
after some more conversation, in which 
he exhibited considerable learning, I 
explained myself to him. He entered 
into my views with eagerness, and, in 
the sequel, I had no reason to regret 
my confidence, he having disposed of 
a considerable number of New Testa- 
ments, and even contrived to send a 
certain number of copies to two small 
towns at some distance from Seville. 

Another helper in the circulation of 
the Gospel I found in an aged professor 
of music, who, with much stiffness and 
ceremoniousness, united much that was 
excellent and admirable. This vene- 
rable individual, only three days after I 
had made his acquaintance, brought me 
the price of six Testaments and a Gypsy 
Gospel, which he had sold under the 
heat o^ an Andalusian sun. What was 
his motive? A Christian one truly. 
He said that his unfortunate country- 
men, who were then robbing and mur- 
dering each other, might probably be 
rendered better by the reading of the 
Gospel, but could never be injured. 
Adding, that many a man had been re- 
formed by the Scriptures, but that no 
one ever yet became a thief or assassin 
from its perusal. 

But my most extraordinary agent 
was one whom I occasionally employed 
in circulating the Scriptures amungst the 
lower classes. I might have turned the 
services of this individual to far greater 
account had the quantity of books at my 
disposal been greater ; but they were now 
diminishing rapidly, and as I had no 
hopes of a fresh supply, I was almost 
tempted to be niggard of the few which 
remained. This agent was a Greek 
bricklayer, by name Johannes Chrysos- 
tom, who had been introduced to me by 
Dionysius. He was a native of the 
Morea, but had been upwards of thirty- 
five years in Spain, so that he had almost 
entirely lost his native language. Ne- 
vertheless, his attachment to his own 
country was so strong that he consi- 



dered whatever was not Greek as ut- 
terly barbarous and bad. Though en- 
tirely destitute of education, he had, by 
his strength of character, and by a 
kind of rude eloquence which he pos- 
sessed, obtained such a mastery over 
the minds of the labouring classes of 
Seville, that they assented to almost 
everything he said, notwithstanding 
the shocks which their prejudices were 
continually receiving. So that, al- 
though he was a foreigner, he could at 
any time have become the Massaniello 
of Seville. A more honest creature I 
never saw, and I soon found that if I 
employed him, notwithstanding his ec- 
centricities, I might entertain perfect 
confidence that his actions would be no 
disparagement to the book he vended. 

We were continually pressed for 
Bibles, which of course we could not 
supply. Testaments were held in com- 
paratively little esteem. I had by this 
time made the discovery of a fact w hich 
it would have been well had I been 
aware of three years before : but we 
live and learn. I mean the inexpedi- 
ency of printing Testaments, and Tes- 
taments alone, for Catholic countries. 
The reason is plain : the Catholic, un- 
used to Scripture reading, finds a thou- 
sand things which he cannot possibly 
understand in the New Testament, the 
foundation of which is the Old. " Search 
the Scriptures, for they bear witness of 
me," may well be applied to this point. 
It may be replied, that New Testa- 
ments separate are in great demand 
and of infinite utility in England, but 
England, thanks be to the Lord, is not 
a papal country ; and though an Eng- 
lish labourer may read a Testament, 
and derive from it the most blessed 
fruit, it does not follow that a Spanish 
or Italian peasant will enjoy similar 
success, as he will find many dark 
things with which the other is well ac- 
quainted, and competent to understand, 
being versed in the Bible history from 
his childhood. I confess, however, 
that in my summer campaign of the 
preceding year, I could not have ac- 
complished with Bibles what Provi- 
dence permitted me to effect with Tes- 
taments, the former being far too bulky 
for rural journeys. 



CHAPTER XLIX. i 



The Solitary House — The Dehesa — Johannes Chrysostom — Manuel — Bookselling at Seville— 
Dionysius and the Priests — Athens and Rome — Proselytism — Seizure of Testaments — De- 
parture from Seville. 



I have already stated that I had hired 
an empty house in Seville, wherein I 
purposed to reside for some months. It 
stood in a solitary situation, occupying 
one side of a small square. It was 
built quite in the beautiful taste of An- 
dalusia, with a court paved with small 
slabs of white and blue marble. In the 
middle of this court was a fountain well 
supplied with the crystal lymph, the 
murmur of which, as it fell from its 
slender pillar into an octangular basin, 
might be heard in every apartment. 
The house itself was large and spacious, 
consisting of two stories, and contain- 
ing room sufficient for at least ten times 
the number of inmates which now oc- 
cupied it. I generally kept during the 
day in the lower apartments, on ac- 
count of the refreshing coolness which 
pervaded them. In one of these was 
an immense stone water-trough, ever 
overflowing with water from the foun- 
tain, in which I immersed myself every 
morning. Such were the premises to 
which, after having provided myself 
with a few indispensable articles of fur- 
niture, I now retreated with Antonio 
and my two horses. 

I was fortunate in the possession of 
these quadrupeds, inasmuch as it af- 
forded me an opportunity of enjoying 
to a greater extent the beauties of the 
surrounding country. I know of few 
things in this life more delicious than 
a ride in the spring or summer season 
in the neighbourhood of Seville. My 
favourite one was in the direction of 
Xerez, over the wide Dehesa, as it is 
called, which extends from Seville to 
the gates of the former town, a distance 
of nearly fifty miles, with scarcely a 
town or village intervening. The 
ground is irregular and broken, and is 



for the most part covered with that 
species of brushwood called carrasco, 
amongst which winds a bridle-path, by 
no means well defined, chiefly trodden 
by the arrieros, with their long trains 
of mules and borricos. It is here that 
the balmy air of beautiful Andalusia is 
to be inhaled in full perfection. Aro- 
matic herbs and flowers are growing in 
abundance, diffusing their perfume 
around. Here dark and gloomy cares 
are dispelled as if by magic from the 
bosom, as the eyes wander over the 
prospect, lighted by unequalled sun- 
shine, in which gaily painted butterflies 
wanton, and green and golden Sala- 
manquesas lie extended, enjoying the 
luxurious warmth, and occasionally 
startling the traveller, by springing up 
and maldng off with portentous speed 
to the nearest coverts, whence they 
stare upon him with their sharp and 
lustrous eyes. I repeat, that it is im- 
possible to continue melancholy in re- 
gions like these, and the ancient Greeks 
and Romans were right in making 
them the site of their Elysian fields. 
Most beautiful they are, even in their 
present desolation, for the hand of man 
has not cultivated them since the fatal 
era of the expulsion of the Moors, 
which drained Andalusia of at least 
two-thirds of its population. 

Every evening it was my custom to 
ride along the Dehesa, until the top- 
most towers of Seville were no longer 
in sight. I then turned about, and 
pressing my knees against the sides of 
Sidi Habismilk, my Arabian, the fleet 
creature, to whom spur or lash had never 
been applied, would set off in the direc- 
tion of the town with the speed of a whirl- 
wind, seeming in his headlong course to 
devour the ground of the waste, until he 



'280 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



[chap, xlix. 



had left it behind, then dashing through 
the elm-covered road of the Delicias, 
his thundering hoofs were soon heard 
beneath the vaulted archway of the 
Puerta de Xerez, and in another mo- 
ment he would stand stone-still before 
the door of my Solitary house in the 
little silent square of the Pila Seca. 

It is eight o'clock at night, I am re- 
turned from the Dehesa, and am stand- 
ing on the sotea, or fiat roof of my 
house, enjoying the cool breeze. Jo- 
hannes Chrysostom has just arrived 
from his labour. I have not spoken to 
him, but I hear him below in the court- 
yard, detailing to Antonio the progress 
he has made in the last two days. He 
speaks barbarous Greek, plentifully in- 
terlarded with Spanish words; but I 
gather from his discourse, that he has 
already sold twelve Testaments among 
his fellow labourers. I hear copper 
coin falling on the pavement, and An- 
tonio, who is not of a very Christian 
temper, reproving him for not having 
brought the proceeds of the sale in sil- 
ver. He now asks for fifteen more, as 
he says the demand is becoming great, 
and that he shall have no difficulty in 
disposing of them in the course of the 
morrow, whilst pursuing his occupa- 
tions. Antonio goes to fetch them, and 
he now stands alone by the marble 
fountain, singing a wild song, which I 
believe to be a hymn of his beloved 
Greek church. Behold one of the help- 
ers which the Lord has sent me in my 
Gospel labours on the shores of the 
Guadalquivir. 

I lived in the greatest retirement dur- 
ing the whole time that I passed at 
Seville, spending the greater part of 
each day in study, or in that half 
dreamy state of inactivity which is the 
natural effect of the influence of a warm 
« climate. There was little in the cha- 
racter of the people around to induce 
me to enter much into society. The 
higher class of the Andalusians are 
probably upon the whole the most vain 
and foolish of human beings, with a 
taste for nothing but sensual amuse- 
ments, foppery in dress, and ribald 
discourse. Their insolence is only 
equalled by their meanness, and their 
prodigality by their avarice. The 



lower classes are a shade or two better 
than their superiors in station : little, it 
is true, can be said for the tone of their 
morality ; they are overreaching, quar- 
relsome, and revengeful, but they are 
upon the whole more courteous, and 
certainly not more ignorant. 

The Andalusians are in general held 
in the lowest estimation by the rest of 
the Spaniards, even those in opulent 
circumstances finding some difficulty at 
Madrid in procuring admission into re- 
spectable society, where, if they find 
their way, they are invariably the ob- 
jects of ridicule, from the absurd airs 
and grimaces in which they indulge, — 
their tendency to boasting and exagge- 
ration, their curious accent, and the 
incorrect manner in which they speak 
and pronounce, the Castilian language. 

In a word, the Andalusians, in ail 
estimable traits of character, are as far 
below the other Spaniards as the coun- 
try which they inhabit is superior in 
beauty and fertility to the other pro- 
vinces of Spain. 

Yet let it not for a moment be sup- 
posed that I have any intention of as- 
serting, that excellent and estimable 
individuals are not to be found amongst 
the Andalusians ; it was amongst them 
that I myself discovered one, whom I 
have no hesitation in asserting to be the 
most extraordinary character that has 
ever come within the sphere of my know- 
ledge ; but this was no scion of a noble 
or knightly house, " no wearer of soft 
clothing/' no sleek highly perfumed 
personage, none of the romanticos who 
walk in languishing attitudes about the 
streets of Seville, with long black hair 
hanging upon their shoulders in luxu- 
riant curls : but one of those whom the 
proud and unfeeling style the dregs of 
the populace, a haggard, houseless, pen- 
niless man, in rags and tatters : I allude 
to Manuel, the — what shall I call him ? 
— seller of lottery tickets, driver of 
death carts, or poet laureate in Gypsy 
songs? I wonder whether thou art 
still living, my friend Manuel ; thou 
gentleman of nature's forming — honest, 
pure-minded, humble, yet dignified 
being! Art thou still wandering 
through the courts of beautiful Safa- 
coro, or on the banks of the Len Baro, 



CHAP. XLTX.] 



THE BIBLE 



IN SPAIN. 



281 



thine eyes fixed in vacancy, and thy 
mind striving to recall some half-for- 
gotten couplet of Luis Lobo; or art 
thou gone to thy long rest, out beyond 
the Xerez gate within the wall of the 
Campo Santo, to which, in times of 
pest and sickness, thou wast wont to 
carry so many, Gypsy and Gentile, in 
thy cart of the tinkling bell ? Oft in 
the reunions of the lettered and learned 
in this land of universal literature, 
when weary of the display of pedantry 
and egotism, have I recurred with 
yearning to our Gypsy recitations at 
the old house in the Pila Seca. Oft, 
when sickened by the high-wrought 
professions of those who bear the cross 
in gilded chariots, have I thought on 
thee, thy calm faith, without pretence, 
— thy patience in poverty, and fortitude 
in affliction ; and as oft, when thinking 
of my speedily approaching end, have 
I wished that I might meet thee once 
again, and that thy hands might help to 
bear me to " the dead man's acre " 
yonder on the sunny plain, O Manuel ! 

My principal visitor was Dionysius, 
who seldom failed to make his appear- 
ance every forenoon : the poor fellow 
came for sympathy and conversation. 
It is difficult to imagine a situation more 
forlorn and isolated than that of this 
man, — a Greek at Seville, with scarcely 
a single acquaintance, and depending 
for subsistence on the miserable pittance 
to be derived from selling a few books, 
for the most part hawked about from 
door to door. " What could have first 
induced you to commence bookselling in 
Seville ?" said I to him, as he arrived 
one sultry day, heated and fatigued, 
with a small bundle of books secured 
together by a leather strap. 

Dionysius. — For want of a better em- 
ployment, Kyrie, I have adopted this 
most unprofitable and despised one. 
Oft have I regretted not having been 
bred up as a shoemaker, or having 
learnt in my youth some other useful 
handicraft, for gladly would I follow it 
now. Such, at least, would procure me 
the respect of my fellow-creatures, inas- 
much as they needed me ; but now all 
avoid me and look upon me with con- 
tempt ; for what have I to offer in this 
place that any one cares about ? Books 



in Seville ! where no one reads, or at 
least nothing but new romances, trans- 
lated from the French, and obscenity. 
Books ! Would I were a Gypsy and 
could trim donkeys, for then I were at 
least independent and were more re- 
spected than I am at present. 

Myself. — Of what kind of books does 
your stock in trade consist ? 

Dionysius. — Of those not likely to 
suit the Seville market, Kyrie ; books 
of sterling and intrinsic value ; many 
of them in ancient Greek, which I 
picked up upon the dissolution of the 
convents, when the contents of the libra- 
ries were hurled into the court-yards, 
and there sold by the arrobe. I thought 
at first that I was about to make a for- 
tune, and in fact my books would be so 
in any other place ; but here I have of- 
fered an Elzevir for half a dollar in vain. 
I should starve were it not for the stran- 
gers who occasionally purchase of me. 

Myself. — Seville is a large cathedral 
city, abounding with priests and canons ; 
surely some of these occasionally visit 
you to make purchases of classic works 
and books connected with ecclesiastical 
literature. 

Dionysius. — If you think so, Kyrie, 
you know little respecting the eccle- 
siastics of Seville. I am acquainted 
with many of them, and can assure you 
that a tribe of beings can scarcely be 
found with a more confirmed aversion 
to intellectual pursuits of every kind. 
Their reading is confined to newspapers, 
which they take up in the hope of see- 
ing that their friend Don Carlos is at 
length re-instated at Madrid ; but they 
prefer their chocolate and biscuits, and 
nap before dinner, to the wisdom of 
Plato and the eloquence of Tully. They 
occasionally visit me, but it is only to 
pass away a heavy hour in chattering 
nonsense. Once on a time three of them 
came, in the hope of making me a con- 
vert to their Latin superstition. " Sig- 
nior Donatio," said they, (for so they 
called me,) " how is it that an unpre- 
judiced person like yourself, a man 
really with some pretension to know- 
ledge, can still cling to this absurd reli- 
gion of yours ? Surely, after having re- 
sided so many years in a civilized coun- 
try like this of Spain, it is high time to 



282 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



[chap, xlix. 



abandon your half-pagan form of wor- 
ship, and to enter the bosom of the 
church ; now pray be advised, and you 
shall be none the worse for it." " Thank 
you, gentlemen," I replied, " for the in- 
terest you take in my welfare; I am 
always open to conviction ; let us pro- 
ceed to discuss the subject. What are 
the points of my religion which do not 
meet your approbation ? You are of 
course well acquainted with all our 
dogmas and ceremonies." " We know 
nothing about your religion, Signior 
Donatio, save that it is a very absurd 
one, and therefore it is incumbent upon 
you, as an unprejudiced and well-in- 
formed man, to renounce it." " But, 
gentlemen, if you know nothing of my 
religion, why call it absurd ? Surely it 
is not the part of unprejudiced people to 
disparage that of which they are igno- 
rant-" " But, Signior Donatio, it is not 
the Catholic Apostolic Roman religion, 
is it?" " It may be, gentlemen, for 
what yon appear to know of it ; for your 
information, however, I will tell you 
that it is not ; it is the Greek Apostolic 
religion. I do not call it catholic, for 
it is absurd to call that catholic which 
is not universally acknowledged." 
" But, Signior Donatio, does not the 
matter speak for itself? W T hat can a 
set of ignorant Greek barbarians know 
about religion ? If they set aside the 
authority of Rome, whence should they 
derive any rational ideas of religion? 
whence should they get the Gospel ?" 
" The Gospel, gentlemen ? Allow me 
to show you a book, here it is, what is 
your opinion of it ?" " Signior Dona- 
tio, what does this mean ? What cha- 
racters of the devil are these, are they 
Moorish ? Who is able to understand 
them?" " I suppose your worships, 
being Roman priests, know something 
of Latin ; if you inspect the title-page 
to the bottom, you will find, in the lan- 
guage of your own church, i the Gos- 
pel of our Lord and Saviour Jesus 
Christ/ in the original Greek, of which 
your vulgate is merely a translation, 
and not a very correct one. With re- 
spect to the barbarism of Greece, it ap- 
pears that you are not aware that Athens 
was a city, and a famed one, centuries 
before the first mud cabin of Rome was 



thatched, and the Gypsy vagabonds who 
first peopled it had escaped from the 
hands of justice." " Signior Donatio, 
you are an ignorant heretic, and inso- 
lent withal : what nonsense is this ! . . ." 
But I will not weary your ears, Kyrie, 
with all the absurdities which the poor 
Latin Papas poured into mine; the 
burden of their song being invariably, 
what nonsense is this! which was cer- 
tainly applicable enough to what they 
themselves were saying. Seeing, how- 
ever, that I was more than their match 
in religious controversy, they fell foul 
of my country. " Spain is a better 
country than Greece," said one. " You 
never tasted bread before you came to 
Spain," cried another. " And little 
enough since," thought I. " You never 
before saw such a city as Seville," said 
the third. But then ensued the best 
part of the comedy : my visitors chanced 
to be natives of three different places ; 
one was of Seville, another of Utrera, 
and the third of Miguel Turra, a mise- 
rable village in La Mancha. At the 
mention of Seville, the other two in- 
stantly began to sing the praises of their 
respective places of birth ; this brought 
on comparisons, and a violent dispute 
was the consequence. Much abuse 
passed between them, whilst I stood by, 
shrugged my shoulders, and said tipo- 
tas* At last, as they were leaving the 
house, I said, " Who would have 
thought, gentlemen, that the polemics 
of the Greek and Latin churches were 
so closely connected with the compara- 
tive merits of Seville, Utrera, and Mi- 
guel Turra ?" 

Myself. — Is the spirit of proselytism 
very prevalent here ? Of what descrip- 
tion of people do their converts gene- 
rally consist ? 

JJioni/sius. — I will tell you, Kyrie; 
the generality of their converts consist 
of German or English Protestant ad- 
venturers, who come here to settle, and 
in course of time take to themselves 
wives from amongst the Spanish, prior 
to which it is necessary to become mem- 
bers of the Latin church. A few are 
vagabond Jews, from Gibraltar or Tan- 
gier, who have fled for their crimes into 



Nothing at all. 



CHAP. XLIX.] 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



283 



Spain, and who renounce their faith to 
escape from starvation. These gentry, 
however, it is necessary to pay, on which 
account the priests procure for them 
padrinos or godfathers ; these generally 
consist of rich devotees over whom the 
priests have influence, and who esteem 
it a glory and a meritorious act to assist 
in bringing back lost souls to the church. 
The neophyte allows himself to be con- 
vinced on the promise of a peseta a day, 
which is generally paid by the god- 
fathers for the first year, but seldom for 
a longer period. About forty years ago, 
however, they made a somewhat no- 
table convert. A civil war arose in Mo- 
rocco, caused by the separate preten- 
sions of two brothers to the throne. 
One of these being worsted, fled over 
to Spain, imploring the protection of 
Charles IV. He soon became an ob- 
ject of particular attention to the priests, 
who were not slow in converting him, 
and induced Charles to settle upon him 
a pension of a dollar per day. He died 
some few years since in Seville, a de- 
spised vagabond. He left behind him 
a son, who is at present a notary, and 
outwardly very devout, but a greater 
hypocrite and picaroon does not exist. 
I would you could see his face, Kyrie, 
it is that of Judas Iscariot. I think 
you would say so, for you are a phy- 
siognomist. He lives next door to me, 
and notwithstanding his pretensions to 
religion, is permitted to remain in a 
state of great poverty. 

And now nothing farther for the pre- 
sent about Dionysius. 

About the middle of July our work 
was concluded at Seville, and for the 
very efficient reason that I had no more 
Testaments to sell; somewhat more 
than two hundred having been circu- 
lated since my arrival. 

About ten days before the time of 
which I am speaking, I was visited by 
various alguazils, accompanied by a 
kind of headborough, who made a small 
seizure of Testaments and Gypsy Gos- 
pels, which happened to be lying about. 
This visit was far from being disagree- 
able to me, as I considered it to be a 
very satisfactory proof of the effect of 



our exertions in Seville. I cannot help 
here relating an anecdote : — A day or 
two subsequent, having occasion to call 
at the house of the headborough re- 
specting my passport, I found him lying 
on his bed, for it was the hour of siesta, 
reading intently one of the Testaments 
which he had taken away, all of which, 
if he had obeyed his orders, would have 
been deposited in the office of the civil 
governor. So intently, indeed, was he 
engaged in reading, that he did not at 
first observe my entrance ; when he 
did, however, he sprang up in great 
confusion, and locked the book up in 
his cabinet, whereupon I smiled, and 
told him to be under no alarm, as I was 
glad to see him so usefully employed. 
Recovering himself, he said that he had 
read the book nearly through, and that 
he had found no harm in it, but, on the 
contrary, everything to praise. Adding, 
he believed that the clergy must be pos- 
sessed with devils (endemoniados) to per- 
secute it in the manner they did. 

It was Sunday when the seizure was 
made, and I happened to be reading the 
Liturgy. One of the alguazils, when go- 
ing away, made an observation respect- 
ing the very different manner in which 
the Protestants and Catholics keep the 
Sabbath ; the former being in their own 
houses reading good books, and the 
latter abroad in the bull-ring, seeing 
the wild bulls tear out the gory bowels 
of the poor horses. The bu51 amphi- 
theatre at Seville is the finest in all 
Spain, and is invariably on a Sunday 
(the only day on which it is open) filled 
with applauding multitudes. 

I now made preparations for leaving 
Seville for a few months, my destination 
being the coast of Barbary. Antonio, 
who did not wish to leave Spain, in 
which were his wife and children, re- 
turned to Madrid, rejoicing in a hand- 
some gratuity with which I presented 
him. As it was my intention to return 
to Seville, I left my house and horses 
in the charge of a friend in whom I 
could confide, and departed. 

The reasons which induced me tc 
visit Barbary will be seen in the follow- 
ing chapters. 



r a»* j 



CHAPTER L. 

Night on the Guadalquivir — Gospel Light — Bonanza — Strand of San Lucax— Andnlusian 
Scenery— History of a Chest — Cosas de los Ingleses— TheTwo Gypsies— The Driver — The 
Red Nightcap— The Steam Boat — Christian Language. 



On the night of the 31st of July I de- 
parted from Seville upon my expedi- 
tion, going on board one of the steamers 
which ply on the Guadalquivir between 
Seville and Cadiz. 

It was my intention to stop at San 
Lucar, for the purpose of recovering the 
chest of Testaments which had been 
placed in embargo there, until such 
time as they could be removed from the 
kingdom of Spain. These Testaments 
t intended for distribution amongst the 
Christians whom I hoped to meet on 
the shores of Barbary. San Lucar is 
about fifteen leagues distant from Se- 
ville, at the entrance of the bay of Ca- 
diz, where the yellow waters of the 
Guadalquivir unite with the brine. 
The steamer shot from the little quay, 
or wharf, at about half-past nine, and 
then arose a loud cry — it was the voices 
of those on board and on shore wishing 
farewell to their friends. Amongst the 
tumult I thought I could distinguish 
the accents of some friends of my own 
who had accompanied me to the bank, 
and I instantly raised my own voice 
louder than all. The night was very 
dark, so much so, indeed, that as we 
passed along we could scarcely distin- 
guish the trees which cover the eastern 
shore of the river until it takes its first 
turn. A calmazo had reigned during 
the day at Seville, by which is meant 
exceedingly sultry weather, unenlivened 
by the slightest breeze. The night 
likewise was calm and sultry. As I 
had frequently made the voyage of the 
Guadalquivir, ascending and descend- 
ing this celebrated river, I felt nothing 
of that restlessness and curiosity which 
people experience in a strange place, 
whether in light or darkness, and being 
acquainted with none of *be other pas- 



sengers, who were talking on the deck, 
I thought my best plan would be to re- 
tire to the cabin and enjoy some rest, 
if possible. The cabin was solitary and 
tolerably cool, all its windows on either 
side being open for the admission of air. 
Flinging myself on one of the cushioned 
benches, I was soon asleep, in which 
state I continued for about two hours, 
when I was aroused by the furious 
biting of a thousand bugs, which com- 
pelled me to seek the deck, where, wrap- 
ping myself in my cloak, I again fell 
asleep. It was near daybreak when I 
awoke ; we were then about two leagues 
from San Lucar. I arose and looked 
towards the east, watching the gra- 
dual progress of dawn, first the dull 
light, then the streak, then the tinge, 
then the bright blush, till at last the 
golden disk of that orb which giveth 
day emerged from the abyss of im- 
mensity, and in a moment the whole 
prospect was covered with brightness 
and glory. The land smiled, the waters 
sparkled, the birds sang, and men arose 
from their resting places and rejoiced : 
for it was day, and the sun was gone 
forth on the errand of its Creator, the 
diffusion of light and gladness, and the 
dispelling of darkness and sorrow. 

' ' Behold the morning sun 
Begins his glorious way ; 
His beams through all the nations run, 
And life and light convey. 

" But where the Gospel comes, 
It spreads diviner light ; 
It calls dead sinners from their tombs, 
And gives the blind their sight." 

We now stopped before Bonanza : 
this is, properly speaking, the port of 
San Lucar, although it is half a league 
distant from the latter place. It is 
called Bonanza on account of its good 
anchorage, and its being secured from 



CHAP, L.] 



THE BIBLP: IN SPAIN. 



285 



the boisterous winds of the ocean ; its 
literal meaning is " fair weather.'' It 
consists of several large white build- 
ings, principally government store- 
houses, and is inhabited by the coast- 
guard, dependents on the custom-house, 
and a few fishermen. A boat came off 
to receive those passengers whose des- 
tination was San Lucar, and to bring 
on board about half a dozen who were 
bound for Cadiz : I entered with the 
rest. A young Spaniard of very dimi- 
nutive stature addressed some questions 
to me in French as to what I thought of 
the scenery and climate of Andalusia. 
I replied that I admired both, which 
evidently gave him great pleasure. 
The boatman now came demanding 
two reals for conveying me on shore. 
I had no small money, and offered him 
a dollar to change. He said that it was 
impossible. I asked him what was to 
be done : whereupon he replied, unci- 
villy, that he knew not, but could not 
lose time, and expected to be paid in- 
stantly. The young Spaniard, observ- 
ing my embarrassment, took out two 
reals and paid the fellow. I thanked 
him heartily for this act of civility, for 
which I felt really grateful ; as there 
are few situations more unpleasant than 
to be in a crowd in want of change, 
whilst you are importuned by people 
for payment. A loose character once 
told me that it was far preferable to be 
without money at all, as you then knew 
what course to take. I subsequently 
met the young Spaniard at Cadiz, and 
repaid him, with thanks. 

A few cabriolets were waiting near 
the wharf, in order to convey us to San 
Lucar. I ascended one, and we pro- 
ceeded slowly along the Playa or 
strand. This place is famous in the 
ancient novels of Spain, of that class 
called Picaresque, or those devoted to 
the adventures of notorious scoundrels, 
the father of which, as also of all others 
of the same kind, in whatever language, 
is Lazarillo de Tormes. Cervantes 
himself has immortalized this strand in 
the most amusing of his smaller tales, 
La Illustre Fregona. In a word, the 
strand of San Lucar in ancient times, 
if not in modern, was a rendezvous for 
ruffians, coiitrabandistas, and vagabonds 



of every description, who nested there 
in wooden sheds, which have now va- 
nished. San Lucar itself was always 
noted for the thievish propensities of 
its inhabitants — the worst in all Anda- 
lusia. The roguish innkeeper in Don 
Quixote perfected his education at San 
Lucar. All these recollections crowded 
into my mind as we proceeded along 
the strand, which was beautifully gilded 
by the Andalusian sun. We at last 
arrived nearly opposite to San Lucar, 
which stands at some distance from the 
water side. Here a lively spectacle 
presented itself to us : the shore was 
covered with a multitude of females 
either dressing or undressing them- 
selves, while (I speak within bounds) 
hundreds were in the water sporting 
and playing : some were close by the 
beach, stretched at their full length on 
the sand and pebbles, allowing the 
little billows to dash over their heads 
and bosoms ; whilst others were swim- 
ming boldly out into the firth. There 
was a confused hubbub of female cries, 
thin shrieks, and shrill laughter ; cou- 
plets likewise were being sung, on what 
subject it is easy to guess — for we were 
in sunny Andalusia, and what can its 
black-eyed daughters think, speak, or 
sing of but amor, amor, which now 
sounded from the land and the waters ? 
Farther on along the beach we per- 
ceived likewise a crowd of men bath- 
ing ; we passed not by them, but turned 
to the left up an alley or avenue which 
leads to San Lucar, and which may be 
a quarter of a mile long. The view 
from hence was truly magnificent : be- 
fore us lay the town, occupying the 
side and top of a tolerably high hill, 
extending from east to west. It ap- 
peared to be of considerable size : and 
I was subsequently informed that it 
contained at least twenty thousand in- 
habitants. Several immense edifices 
and walls towered up in a style of 
grandeur which can be but feebly de- 
scribed by words: but the principal 
object was an ancient castle towards 
the left. The houses were all white, 
and would have shone brilliantly in 
the sun had it been higher ; but at this 
early hour they lay comparatively in 
shade. The tout ensemble ^vas very 



2S5 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



[chap. l. 



Moorish and oriental ; and, indeed, in 
ancient times San Lucar was a cele- 
brated stronghold of the Moors, and, 
next to Almeria, the most frequented 
of their commercial places in Spain. 
Everything, indeed, in these parts of 
Andalusia is perfectly oriental. Be- 
hold the heavens, as cloudless and as 
brightly azure as those of Ind; the 
fiery sun which tans the fairest cheek 
in a moment, and which fills the air 
with flickering flame; and O remark 
the scenery and the vegetable produc- 
tions. The alley up which we were 
moving was planted on each side with 
that remarkable tree or plant, for I 
know not which to call it, the giant 
aloe, which is called in Spanish, pita, 
and in Moorish, gursean. It rises here 
to a height almost as magnificent as on 
the African shore. Need I say that 
the stem, which springs up from the 
middle of the bush of green blades, 
which shoot out from the root on all 
sides, is as high as a palm-tree : and 
need I say that those blades, which are 
of an immense thickness at the root, 
are at the tip sharper than the point of 
a spear, and would inflict a terrible 
wound on any animal which might in- 
advertently rush against them ? 

One of the first houses at San Lucar 
was the posada at which we stopped. 
It confronted, with some others, the 
avenue up which we had come. As it 
was still early. I betook myself to rest 
for a few hours, at the end of which 
time I went out to visit Mr. Phil- 
lipi, the British vice-consul, who was 
already acquainted with me by name, 
as I had been recommended to him in 
a letter from a relation of his at Se- 
ville. Mr. Phillipi was at home in his 
counting-house, and received me with 
much kindness and civility. I told him 
the motive of my visit to San Lucar, 
and requested his assistance towards 
obtaining the books from the custom- 
house, in order to transport them out 
of the country, as I was very well ac- 
quainted with the difficulties which 
every one has to encounter in Spain 
who has any business to transact with 
the government authorities. He as- 
sured me that he should be most happy 
to assist me ; and, accordingly, de- 



spatched with me to the custom-hoube 
his head clerk, a person well know it 
and much respected at San Lucar. 

It may be as well here at once tc 
give the history of these books, which 
might otherwise tend to embarrass the 
narrative. They consisted of a chest 
of Testaments in Spanish, and a small 
box of Saint Luke's Gospel in the Gi- 
tano or language of the Spanish Gyp- 
sies. I obtained them from the cus- 
tom-house at San Lucar, with a pass 
for that of Cadiz. At Cadiz I was 
occupied two days, and also a person 
whom I employed, in going through 
all the formalities, and in procuring 
the necessary papers. The expense 
was great, as money was demanded at 
every step I had to take, though I was 
simply complying, in this instance, 
with the orders of the Spanish govern- 
ment in removing prohibited books 
from Spain. The farce did not end 
until my arrival at Gibraltar, where I 
paid the Spanish consul a dollar for 
certifying on the back of the pass, 
which I had to return to Cadiz, that 
the books were arrived at the former 
place. It is true that he never saw the 
books, nor inquired about them ; but 
he received the money, for which he 
alone seemed to be anxious. 

Whilst at the custom-house of San 
Lucar I was asked one or two ques- 
tions respecting the books contained in 
the chests : this afforded me some op- 
portunity of speaking of the New Tes- 
tament and the Bible Society. What 
I said excited attention : and presently 
all the officers and dependents of the 
house, great and small, were gathered 
around me, from the governor to the 
porter. As it was necessary to open 
the boxes to inspect their contents, we 
all proceeded to the court-yard, where, 
holding a Testament in my hand, I re- 
commenced my discourse. I scarcely 
know what I said ; for I was much 
agitated, and hurried away by my feel- 
ings, when I bethought me of the man- 
ner in which the word of God was per- 
secuted in this unhappy kingdom. My 
words evidently made impression, and 
to my astonishment every person pre- 
sent pressed me for a copy. I sold 
several within the walls»of the custom- 



I'll AP. L.J 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



287 



house. Tlae object, however, of most 
attention was the Gypsy Gospel, which 
was minutely examined amidst smiles 
and exclamations of surprise ; an indi- 
vidual every now and then crying, 
" Cosas de los Ingleses." A bystander 
asked me whether I could speak the 
Gitano language. I replied that I 
could not oidy speak it, but write it, 
and instantly made a speech of about 
live minutes in the Gypsy tongue, which 
I had no sooner concluded than all 
clapped their hands and simultane- 
ously shouted, " Cosas de Ingalaterra" 
" Cosas de los Ltgleses." I disposed of 
several copies of the Gypsy Gospel 
likewise, and having now settled the 
business which had brought me to the 
eustom-house, I saluted my new friends 
and departed with my books. 

I now revisited Mr. Phillipi, who, 
upon learning that it was my intention 
to proceed to Cadiz next morning by 
the steamer, which would touch at 
Bonanza at four o'clock, despatched the 
chests and my little luggage to the latter 
place, where he likewise advised me to 
sleep, in order that I might be in readi- 
ness to embark at that early hour. He 
then introduced me to his family, his wife 
an English woman, and his daughter 
an amiable and beautiful girl of aoout 
eighteen years of age, whom I had pre- 
viously seen at Seville ; three or four- 
other ladies from Seville were likewise 
there on a visit, and for the purpose of 
sea-bathing. After a few words in 
English between the lady of the house 
and myself, we all commenced chatting 
in Spanish, which seemed to be the 
only language understood or cared for 
by the rest of the company ; indeed, 
who would be so unreasonable as to 
expect Spanish females to speak any 
language but their own, which, flexible 
and harmonious as it is (far more so I 
think than any other), seems at times 
quite inadequate to express the wild 
sallies of their luxuriant imagination. 
•Two hours fled rapidly away in dis- 
course, interrupted occasionally by 
music and song, when I bade farewell 
to this delightful society, and strolled 
out. to view the town. 

II was now past noun, and ttie heat 
*vas exceed in giy fierce: I saw scarry 



a living being in the streets, the stones 
of which burnt my feet through the 
soles of my boots. I passed through 
the square of the Constitution, which 
presents nothing particular to the eye 
of the stranger, and ascended the hill to 
obtain a nearer view of the castle. It 
is a strong heavy edifice of stone, with 
round towers, and, though deserted, 
appears to be still in a tolerable state of 
preservation. I became tired of gazing, 
and was retracing my steps, when J 
was accosted by two Gypsies, who by 
some means had heard of my arrival. 
We exchanged some words in Gitano, 
but they appeared to be very ignorant 
of the dialect, and utterly unable to 
maintain a conversation in it. They 
were clamorous for a gabicote, or book 
in the Gypsy tongue. I refused it 
them, saying that they could turn it to 
no profitable account ; but finding that 
they could read, I promised them each 
a Testament in Spanish. This offer, 
however, they refused with disdain, 
saying that they cared for nothing writ- 
ten in the language of the Busne or 
Gentiles. They then persisted in their 
demand, to which I at last yielded, 
being unable to resist their importunity ; 
whereupon they accompanied me to the 
inn, and received what they so ardently 
desired. 

In the evening I was visited by Mr. 
Phillipi, who informed me that he had 
ordered a cabriolet to call for me at the 
inn at eleven at night, for the purpose of 
convejdng me to Bonanza, and that a 
person there, who kept a small wine- 
house, and to whom the chests and 
other things had been forwarded, would 
receive me for the night, though it was 
probable that I should have to sleep on 
the floor. We then walked to the 
beach, where there were a great num- 
ber of bathers, all men. Amongst them 
were some good swimmers ; two, in 
particular, were out at a great distance 
in the firth of the Guadalquivir, I 
should say at least a mile ; their heads 
could just be descried with the telescope. 
I was told that they were friars, i 
wondered at what period of their lives 
they had acquired their dexterity at 
natation. I hoped it was not at a tim^ 
when, according to their vows, they 



288 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



[chap. l. 



should have lived for prayer, fasting, 
and mortification alone. Swimming is 
a noble exercise, but it certainly does 
not tend to mortify either the flesh or 
the spirit. As it was becoming dusk, 
we returned to the town, when my 
friend bade me a kind farewell. I then 
retired to my apartment, and passed 
some hours in meditation. 

It was night, ten o'clock; — eleven 
o'clock, and the cabriolet was at the 
door* I got in, and we proceeded down 
the avenue and along the shore, which 
rcas quite deserted. The waves sounded 
mournfully ; everything seemed to have 
changed since the morning. I even 
thought that the horse's feet sounded 
differently as it trotted slowly over the 
moist firm sand. The driver, however, 
was by no means mournful, nor inclined 
to be silent long : he soon commenced 
asking me an infinity of questions as 
to whence I came and whither I was 
bound. Having given him what an- 
swers I thought most proper, I, in re- 
turn, asked him whether he was not 
afraid to drive along that beach, which 
had always borne so bad a character, at 
so unseasonable an hour. Whereupon 
he looked around him, and seeing no 
person, he raised a shout cf derision, 
and said that a fellow with his whiskers 
feared not all the thieves that ever 
walked the playa, and that no dozen 
men in San Lucar dare to waylay any 
traveller whom they knew to be be- 
neath his protection. He was a good 
specimen of the Andalusian braggart. 
We soon saw a light or two shining 
dimly before us ; they proceeded from 
a few barks and small vessels stranded 
on the sand close below Bonanza : 
amongst them I distinguished two or 
three dusky figures. We were now at 
our journey's end, and stopped before 
the door of the place where I was to 
lodge for the night. The driver, dis- 
mounting, knocked loud and long, until 
the door was opened by an exceedingly 
stout man of about sixty years of age ; 
he held a dim light in his hand, and 
was dressed in a red nightcap and dirty 
striped shirt. He admitted us, without 
a word, into a very large long room j 
with a clay floor. A species of counter 
stood cm one side near the door ; behind 



it stood a barrel or two, and against the 
wall, on shelves, many bottles of vari- 
ous sizes. The smell of liquors and 
wine was very powerful. I settled with 
the driver and gave him a gratuity, 
whereupon he asked me for something 
to drink to my safe journey. I told 
him he could call for whatever he 
pleased: whereupon he demanded a 
glass of aguardiente, which the master 
of the house, who had stationed him- 
self behind the counter, handed him 
without saying a word. The fellow 
drank it off at once, but made a great 
many wry faces after having swallowed 
it, and, coughing, said that he made no 
doubt it was good liquor, as it burnt his 
throat terribly. He then embraced me, 
went out, mounted his cabriolet, and 
drove off. 

The old man with the red nightcap 
now moved slowly to the door, which 
he bolted and otherwise secured; he 
then drew forward two benches, which 
he placed together, and pointed to then 
as if to intimate to me that there was 
my bed : he then blew out the candle 
and retired deeper into the apartment, 
tvhere I heard him lay himself down 
sighing and snorting. There was now 
no farther light than what proceeded 
from a small earthen pan on the floor, 
filled with water and oil, on whicli 
floated a small piece of card with a 
lighted wick in the middle, which sim- 
ple species of lamp is called " mariposa." 
I now laid my carpet-bag on the bench 
as a pillow, and flung myself down. I 
should have been asleep instantly, but 
he of the red nightcap now commenced 
snoring awfully, which brought to my 
mind that I had not yet commended 
myself to my friend and Redeemer : I 
therefore prayed, and then sank to 
repose. 

I was awakened more than once dur- 
ing the night by cats, and I believe rats, 
leaping upon my body. At the last of 
these interruptions I arose, and, ap- 
proaching the mariposa, looked at my 
watch; it was half-past three o'clock. 
I opened the door and looked out ; 
whereupon some fishermen entered, 
clamouring for their morning draught : 
the old man was soon on his feet serving 
them. One of the men said tc me, that 



CHAP. L.] 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



289 



if I was going by the steamer, I had 
better order my things to the wharf 
without delay, as he had heard the ves- 
sel coming down the river. I de- 
spatched my luggage, and then de- 
manded of the red nightcap what I 
owed him. He replied, " One real." 
These were the only two words which 
I heard proceed from his mouth : he 
was certainly addicted to silence, and 
perhaps to philosophy, neither of which 
are much practised in Andalusia. I 
now hurried to the wharf ; the steamer 
was not yet arrived, but I heard its 
thunder up the river every moment 
becoming more distinct: there were mist 
and darkness upon the face of the 
waters, and I felt awe as I listened to 
the approach of the invisible monster 
booming through the stillness of the 
night. It came at last in sight, plashed 
its way forward, stopped, and I was 
soon on board. It was the Peninsula, 
the best boat on the Guadalquivir. 

What a wonderful production of art 
is a steam-boat ! and yet why should 
we call it wonderful, if we consider its 
history ? More than five hundred years 
have elapsed since the idea of making 
one first originated ; but it was not 
until the close of the last century that 
the first, worthy of the name, made its 
appearance on a Scottish river. 

During this long period of time, 
acute minds and skilful hands were oc- 
casionally busied in attempting to re- 
move those imperfections in the ma- 
chinery which alone prevented a vessel 
being made capable of propelling itself 
against wind and tide. All these at- 
tempts were successively abandoned in 
despair, yet scarcely one was made 
which was perfectly fruitless ; each in- 
ventor leaving behind him some monu- 
ment of his labour, of which those who 
succeeded him took advantage, until at 
last a fortunate thought or two, and a 
few more perfect arrangements, were 
all that were wanting. The time ar- 
rived, and now, at length, the very 
Atlantic is crossed by haughty steamers. 
Much has been said of the utility of 
steam in spreading abroad civilization, 
and I think justly. When the first 
steam- vessels were seen on the Guadal- 



quivir, about ten years ago, the Sevil- 
lians ran to the banks of the river, cry- 
ing " sorcery, sorcery," which idea was 
not a little favoured by the speculation 
being an English one, and the boats, 
which were English built, being pro- 
vided with English engineers, as, in- 
deed, they still are ; no Spaniard having 
been found capable of understanding 
the machinery. They soon, however, 
became accustomed to them, and the 
boats are in general crowded with pas- 
sengers. Fanatic and vain as the Se- 
villians still are, and bigoted as they 
remain to their own customs, they know 
that good, in one instance at least, can 
proceed from a foreign land, and that 
land a land of heretics ; inveterate pre- 
judice has "been shaken, and we will 
hope that this is the dawn of their 
civilization. 

Whilst passing over the bay of Cadiz. 
I was reclining on one of the benches 
on the deck, when the captain walked 
by in company with another man ; they 
stopped a short distance from me, and 
I heard the captain ask the other, in 
a low voice, how many languages he 
spoke ; he replied 14 only one." " That 
one," said the captain, " is of course the 
Christian;" by which name the Spa- 
niards style their own language, in 
contradistinction to all others. " That 
fellow," continued the captain, '"who 
is lying on the deck, can speak Chris- 
tian too, when it serves his purpose, 
but he speaks others, which are by no 
means Christian : he can talk English, 
and I myself have heard him chatter in 
Gitano with the Gypsies of Triana ; he 
is now going amongst the Moors, and 
when he arrives in their country you 
will hear him, should you be there, 
converse as fluently in their gibberish 
as in Christiano, nay, better, for he is 
no Christian himself. He has been 
several times on board my vessel already, 
but I do not like him, as I consider 
that he carries something about with 
him which is not good." 

This worthy person, on my cominp. 
aboard the boat, had shaken me by th« 
hand and expressed his joy at seeing me 
again. 



u 2 



[ 2<MJ } 



CHAPTER LI. 

Cadis — The Fortifications — The Consul-General — Characteristic Anecdote — Catalan Steamer- 
Trafalgar — Alonzo Guzman — Gibil Muza — Orestes Frigate — The hostile Lion — Works of 
the Creator — Lizard of the Rock — The Concourse — Queen of the Waters — Broken Prayer. 



Cadiz stands, as is well known, upon 
a long narrow neck of land stretching 
out into the ocean, from whose bosom 
the town appears to rise, the salt waters 
laving its walls on all sides save the 
east, where a sandy isthmus connects it 
with the coast of Spain. The town, as 
it exists at the present day, is of modern 
construction, and very unlike any other 
town which is to be found in the Pe- 
ninsula, being built with great regularity 
and symmetry. The streets are nu- 
merous, and intersect each other, for 
the most part at right angles. They are 
very narrow in comparison to the height 
of the houses, so that they are almost 
impervious to the rays of the sun, ex- 
cept when at its mid-day altitude. The 
principal street, however, is an excep- 
tion, it being of some width* This 
; treet, in which stands the Bolsa, or 
exchange, and which contains the houses 
of the chief merchants and nobility, is 
the grand resort of loungers as well as 
men of business during the early part 
of the day, and in that respect resembles 
the Puerta del Sol at Madrid. It is 
connected with the great square, which, 
though not of very considerable extent, 
has many pretensions to magnificence, 
it being surrounded with large imposing 
houses, and planted with fine trees, with 
marble seats below them for the accom- 
modation of the public. There are few 
public edifices worthy of much atten- 
tion: the chief church, indeed, might 
be considered a fine monument of labour 
in some other countries ; but in Spain, 
the land of noble and gigantic cathe- 
drals, it can be styled nothing more 
than a decent place of worship; it is 
still in an unfinished state. There is a 
public walk, or alameda, on the northern 
r-.im parts, which is generally thronged 



in summer evenings: the green of its 
trees, when viewed from the bay, affords 
an agreeable relief to the eye, dazzled 
with the glare of the white buildings, 
for Cadiz is also a bright city. It was 
once the wealthiest place in all Spain, 
but its prosperity has of late years sadly 
diminished, and its inhabitants are con- 
tinually lamenting its ruined trade ; on 
which account many are daily abandon- 
ing it for Seville, where living at least 
is cheaper. There is still, however, 
much life and bustle in the streets, 
which are adorned with many splendid 
shops, several of which are in the style 
of Paris and London. The present 
population is said to amount to eighty 
thousand souls. 

It is not without reason that Cadiz 
has been called a strong town : the for- 
tifications on the land side, which were 
partly the work of the French during 
the sway of Napoleon, are perfectly ad- 
mirable, and seem . impregnable : to- 
wards the sea it is defended as much 
by nature as by art, water and sunken 
rocks being no contemptible bulwarks. 
The defences of the town, however, 
except the landward ones, afford me- 
lancholy proofs of Spanish apathy and 
neglect, even when allowance is made 
for the present peculiarly unhappy cir- 
cumstances of the country. Scarcely a 
gun, except a few dismounted ones, is 
to be seen on the fortifications, which 
are rapidly falling to decay, so that 
this insulated stronghold is at present 
almost at the mercy of any foreign 
nation which, upon any pretence, or 
none at all, should seek to tear it from 
the grasp of its present legitimate pos- 
sessors, and convert it into a foreign 
colony. 

A few hours after my arrival, I waited 



CHAP. LI. J 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



upon Mr. B., the British consul-general 
at Cadiz. His house, which is the cor- 
ner one at the entrance of ths alameda, 
commands a noble prospect of the bay. 
and is very large and magnificent. I 
had of course long been acquainted 
with Mr. B. by reputation ; I knew that 
for several years he had filled, with 
advantage to his native country, and 
with honour to himself, the distinguished 
and highly responsible situation which 
he holds in Spain. I knew, likewise, 
that he was a good and pious Christian, 
and, moreover, the firm and enlightened 
friend of the Bible Society. Of all this 
I was aware, but I had never yet en- 
joyed the advantage of being personally 
acquainted with him. I saw him now 
for the first time, and was much struck 
with his appearance. He is a tall, 
athletic, finely built man, seemingly 
about forty-five or fifty ; there is much 
dignity in his countenance, which is, 
however, softened by an expression of 
good humour truly engaging. His man- 
ner is frank and affable in the extreme. 
I am not going to enter into minute 
details of our interview, which was to 
me a very interesting one. He knew 
already the leading parts of my history 
since my arrival in Spain, and made 
several comments upon it, which dis- 
played his intimate knowledge of the 
situation of the country as regards eccle- 
siastical matters, and the state of opinion 
respecting religious innovation. 

I was pleased to find that his ideas 
in many points accorded with my own, 
and we were both decidedly of opinion 
that, notwithstanding the great perse- 
cution and outcry which had lately been 
raised against the Gospel, the battle was 
by no means lost, and that the holy- 
cause might yet triumph in Spain, if 
zeal united with discretion and Christian 
humility were displayed by those called 
upon to uphold it. 

During the greater part of this and 
the following day, I was much occupied 
at the custom-house, endeavouring to 
obtain the documents necessary for the 
exportation of the Testaments. On the 
afternoon of Saturday I dined with Mr. 
B. and his family — an interesting group 
— his lady, his beautiful daughters, and 
his son, a line intelligent young man. 



Early the next morning a steamer, the 
Balear, was to quit Cadiz for Marseilles* 
touching on the way at Algeziras, Gib- 
raltar, and various other ports of Spain. 
I had engaged my passage on board 
her as far as Gibraltar, having nothing 
farther to detain me at Cadiz ; my busi- 
ness with the custom-house having been 
brought at last to a termination, though 
I believe I should never have got 
through it but for the kind assistance 
of Mr. B. I quitted this excellent man 
and my other charming friends at a 
late hour with regret. I believe that I 
carried with me their very best wishes ; 
and, in A^hatever part of the world I, 
a poor wanderer in the Gospel's cause, 
may chance to be, I shall not unfre- 
quently offer up sincere prayers for their 
happiness and well-being. 

Before taking leave of Cadiz I shall 
relate an anecdote of the British consul, 
characteristic of him and the happy 
manner in which he contrives to exe- 
cute the most disagreeable duties of his 
situation. I was in conversation witt 
him in a parlour of his house 3 when 
we were interrupted by the entrance 
of two very unexpected visitors : they 
were the captain of a Liverpool mer- 
chant-vessel and one of the crew. The 
latter was a rough sailor, a Welshman, 
who could only express himself in very 
imperfect English. They looked un- 
utterable dislike and defiance at each 
other. It appeared that the latter had 
refused to work, and insisted on leaving 
the ship, and his master had in con- 
sequence brought him before the consul, 
in order that, if he persisted, the con- 
sequences might be detailed to him, 
which would be the forfeiture of his 
wages and clothes. This was done; 
but the fellow became more and more 
dogged, refusing ever to tread the same 
deck again with his captain, who, he 
said, had called him " Greek, lazy lub- 
berly Greek," which he would not bear. 
The word Greek rankled in the sailor's 
mind, and stung him to the very core. 
Mr. B., who seemed to be perfectly ac- 
quainted with the character of Welsh- 
men in general, who are proverbially 
obstinate when opposition is offered to 
them, and who saw at once that the dis- 
pute had arisen on foolish and trivial 



292 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



[CHAP. LI 



grounds, now told the man, with a smile, 
that he would inform him of a way by 
which he might gain the weather-gage 
of every one of them, consul, and cap- 
tain, and all, and secure his wages and 
clothes: which was by merely going 
on board a brig-of-war of her Majesty, 
which was then lying in the bay. The 
fellow said he was aware of this, and 
intended to do so. His grim features, 
however, instantly relaxed in some de- 
gree, and he looked more humanely 
upon his captain. Mr. B. then, address- 
ing himself to the latter, made some 
observations on the impropriety of using 
the word Greek to a British sailor: 
not forgetting at the same time to speak 
of the absolute necessity of obedience 
and discipline on board every ship. 
His words produced such an effect, that 
in a very little time the sailor held out 
his hand towards his captain, and ex- 
pressed his willingness to go on board 
with him and perform his duty, adding, 
that the captain, upon the whole, was 
the best man in the world. So they 
departed mutually pleased ; the consul 
making both of them promise to attend 
divine service at his house on the fol- 
lowing day. 

Sunday morning came, and I was on 
board the steamer by six o'clock. As 
I ascended the side, the harsh sound of 
the Catalan dialect assailed my ears. 
In fact, the vessel was Catalan built, 
and the captain and crew were of that 
nation ; the greater part of the passen- 
gers already on board, or who subse- 
quently arrived, appeared to be Cata- 
lans, and seemed to vie with each other 
in producing disagreeable sounds. A 
burly merchant, however, with a red 
face, peaked chin, sharp eyes, and hooked 
nose, clearly bore off the palm ; he con- 
versed with astonishing eagerness on 
seemingly the most indifferent subjects, 
or rather on no subject at all ; his voice 
would have sounded exactly like a coffee- 
mill but for a vile nasal twang : he 
poured forth his Catalan incessantly 
till we arrived at Gibraltar. Such 
people are never sea-sick, though they 
frequently produce or aggravate the 
malady in others. We did not get un- 
der way until p^st eight o'clock, for we 
Edited for the Governor of Aigeziras, j 



and started instantly on his coming on 
board. He was a tali, thin, rigid figure 
of about seventy, with a long, grave, 
wrinkled countenance ; in a word, the 
very image of an old Spanish grandee. 
We stood out of the bay, rounding the 
lofty light-house, which stands on a 
ledge of rocks, and then bent our course 
to the south, in the direction of the 
Straits. It was a glorious morning, a 
blue sunny sky and blue sunny ocean ; 
or rather, as my friend Oehlenschla?ger 
has observed on a similar occasion, 
there appeared, two skies and two suns, 
one above and one below. 

Our progress was rather slow not- 
withstanding the fineness of the weather, 
probably owing to the tide being against 
us. In about two hours we passed the 
Castle of Santa Petra, and at noon were 
in sight of Trafalgar. The wind now 
freshened, and was dead ahead; on 
which account we hugged closely to 
the coast, in order to avoid as much as 
possible the strong heavy sea which 
was pouring down from the Straits. 
We passed within a very short distance 
of the Cape, a bold bluff foreland, but 
not of any considerable height. 

It is impossible for an Englishman to 
pass by this place — the scene of the 
most celebrated naval action on record 
— without emotion. Here it was that 
the united navies of France and Spain 
were annihilated by a far inferior force ; 
but that force was British, and was 
directed by one of the most remarkable 
men of the age, and perhaps the greatest 
hero of any time. Huge fragments of 
wreck still frequently emerge from the 
watery gulf whose bilioAvs chafe the 
rocky sides of Trafalgar: they are 
relics of the enormous ships which 
were burnt and sunk on that terrible 
day, when the heroic champion of Bri- 
tain concluded his work and died. I 
never heard but one individual venture 
to say a word in disparagement of 
Nelson's glory : it was a pert Ameri- 
can, who observed, that the British 
admiral was much overrated. 6t Can 
that individual be overrated," replied a 
stranger, " whose every thought was 
bent on his country's honour, who 
scarcely ever fought without leaving a 
piece of his body in the fray, and who. 



<;H A.P, LI. J 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



not to speak of minor triumphs, was 
victorious in two such actions as Aboukir 
and Trafalgar ? " 

We were now soon in sight of the 
Moorish coast, Cape Spartel appearing 
dimly through mist and vapour on our 
right. A regular Levanter had now 
come on, and the vessel pitched and 
tossed to a very considerable degree. 
Most of the passengers were sea-sick ; 
the governor, however, and myself held 
out manfully: we sat on a bench to- 
gether, and entered into conversation 
respecting the Moors and their country. 
Torquemada himself could not have 
spoken of both with more abhorrence. 
He informed me that he had been 
frequently in several of the principal 
Moorish towns of the coast, which he 
described as heaps of ruins : the Moors 
themselves he called Caffres and wild 
beasts. He observed that he had never 
been even at Tangier, where the people 
were most civilized, without experi- 
encing some insult, so great was the 
abhorrence of the Moors to anything in 
the shape of a Christian. He added, 
however, that they treated the English 
with comparative civility, and that they 
had a saying among them to the effect 
that Englishman and Mahometan were 
one and the same: he then looked par- 
ticularly grave for a moment, and, cross- 
ing himself, was silent. I guessed what 
was passing in his mind : — 

" From heretic boors, 
And Turkish Moors, 
Star of the sea, 
Gentle Marie, 
Deliver me ! " 

At about three we were passing 
Tarifa, so frequently mentioned in the 
history of Moors and Christians. Who 
has not heard of Alonzo Guzman the 
faithful, who allowed- his only son to 
be crucified before the walls of the 
town rather than submit to the igno- 
miny of delivering up the keys to the 
Moorish monarch, who, with a host 
which is said to have amounted to 
nearly half a million of men, had 
landed on the shores of Andalusia, and 
threatened to bring all Spain once more 
beneath the Moslem yoke ? Certainly 
if there be a land end a spot where the 
name of that good patriot is not some- 



times mentioned and sung, that land, 
that spot is modern Spain and modern 
Tarifa. I have heard the ballad oi 
Alonzo Guzman chanted in Danish, by 
a hind in the wilds of Jutland; but 
once speaking of " the Faithful " to 
some inhabitants of Tarifa, they re- 
plied that they had never heard of Guz- 
man the faithful of Tarifa, but were 
acquainted with Alonzo Guzman, " the 
one-eyed " (el tuerto), and that he was 
one of the most villanous arrieros on 
the Cadiz road. 

The voyage of these narrow seas can 
scarcely fail to be interesting to the 
most apathetic individual, from the 
nature of the scenery which presents 
itself to the eye on either side. The 
coasts are exceedingly high and bold, 
especially that of Spain, which seems to 
overcrow the Moorish ; but opposite to 
Tarifa, the African continent, rounding 
towards the south-west, assumes an air 
of sublimity and grandeur. A hoary 
mountain is seen uplifting its summits 
above the clouds: it is Mount Abyla, 
or, as it is called in the Moorish tongue, 
Gibil Muza, or the hill of Muza, from 
the circumstance of its containing the 
sepulchre of a prophet of that name. 
This is one of the two excrescences of 
nature on which the Old World be- 
stowed the title of the Pillars of Her- 
cules. Its skirts and sides occupy the 
Moorish coast for many leagues in more 
than one direction, but the broad aspect 
of its steep and stupendous front is 
rarned full towards that part of the 
European continent where Gibraltar 
lies like a huge monster stretching far 
into the brine. Of the two hills or 
pillars, the most remarkable, when 
viewed from afar, is the African one, 
Gibil Muza. It is the tallest and 
bulkiest, and is visible at a greatei 
distance ; but scan them both from near, 
and you feel that all your wonder is 
engrossed by the European column, 
Gibil Muza is an immense shapeless 
mass, a wilderness of rocks, with hert 
and there a few trees and shrubs nod- 
ding from the clefts of its precipices : 
it is uninhabited, save by wolves, wild 
swine, and chattering monkeys, or 
which last account it is called by the 
Spaniards. Montana de las Mcnas (the 



294 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



[CHAP. LI, 



hill of the baboons) ; whilst, on the 
contrary, Gibraltar, not to speak of the 
strange city which covers part of it, a 
city inhabited by men of all nations 
and tongues, its batteries and excava- 
tions, all of them miracles of art, is the 
most singular-looking mountain in the 
world — a mountain which can neither 
be described by pen nor pencil, and at 
which the eye is never satiated with 
gazing. 

It was near sunset, and we were 
crossing the bay of Gibraltar. We had 
stopped at Algeziras, on the Spanish 
side, for the purpose of landing the old 
governor and his suite, and delivering 
and receiving letters. 

Algeziras is an ancient Moorish town, 
as the name denotes, which is an Arabic 
word, and signifies " the place of the 
islands." It is situated at the water's 
edge, with a lofty range of mountains 
in the rear. It seemed a sad deserted 
place, as far as I could judge at the dis- 
tance of half a mile. In the harbour, 
however, lay a Spanish frigate and 
French war brig. As we passed the 
former, some of the Spaniards on board 
our steamer became boastful at the ex- 
pense of the English. It appeared that, 
a few weeks before, an English vessel, 
suspected to be a contraband trader, was 
seen by this frigate hovering about a 
bay on the Andalusian coast, in com- 
pany with an English frigate, the 
Orestes. The Spaniard dogged them 
for some time, till one morning,, ob- 
serving that the Orestes had disap- 
peared, he hoisted English colours, and 
made a signal to the trader to bear 
down ; the latter, deceived by the 
British ensign, and supposing that the 
Spaniard was the friendly Orestes, in- 
stantly drew near, was fired at and 
boarded, and. proving in effect to be a 
contraband trader, she was carried into 
port and delivered over to the Spanish 
authorities. In a few days the captain 
of the Orestes hearing of this, and in- 
censed at the unwarrantable use made 
of the British flag, sent a boat on board 
the frigate, demanding that the vessel 
should be instantly restored, as, if she 
was not, he would retake her by force ; 
adding, that he had forty cannons on 
board. The captain of the Spanish 



frigate returned for answer, that the 
trader was in the hands of the officers 
of the customs, and was no longer at 
his disposal ; that the captain of the 
Orestes, however, could do what he 
pleased, and that if he had forty guns, 
he himself had forty-four ; whereupon 
the Orestes thought proper to bear 
away. Such at least was the Spanish 
account, as related by the journals. Ob- 
serving the Spaniards to be in great glee 
at the idea of one of their nation having 
frightened away the Englishman, I ex- 
claimed, " Gentlemen, all of you who 
suppose that an English sea-captain has 
been deterred from attacking a Spaniard, 
from an apprehension of a superior force 
of four guns, remember, if you please, 
the fate of the Santissima Trinidad, and 
be pleased also not to forget that we 
are almost within cannon's sound of 
Trafalgar." 

It was near sunset, I repeat, and we 
were crossing the bay of Gibraltar. I 
stood on the prow of the vessel, with 
my eyes intently fixed on the mountain 
fortress, which, though I had seen it 
several times before, filled my mind 
with admiration and interest. Viewed 
from this situation, it certainly, if it 
resembles any animate object in nature, 
has something of the appearance of a 
terrible couchant lion, whose stupendous 
head menaces Spain. Had I been dream- 
ing, I should almost have concluded it 
to be the genius of Africa, in the shape 
of its most puissant monster, who had 
bounded over the sea from the clime of 
sand and sun, bent on the destruction of 
the rival continent, more especially as 
the hue of its stony sides, its crest and 
chine, is tawny even as that of the hide 
of the desert king. A hostile lion has 
it almost invariably proved to Spain, at 
least since it first began to play a part 
in history, which was at the time when 
Tarik seized and fortified it. It has 
for the most part been in the hands of 
foreigners : first the swarthy and tur- 
baned Moor possessed it, and it is now 
tenanted by a fair-haired race from a 
distant isle." Though a part of Spain, 
it seems to disavow the connexion, and 
at the end of a long narrow sandy isth- 
mus, almost level with the sea, raising 
its blasted., and perpendicular brow to 



CHAF. LI. J 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



denounce the crimes which deformed 
the history of that fair and majestic 
land 

It was near sunset, I say it for the 
third time, and we were crossing the 
bay of Gibraltar. Bay ! it seemed no 
bay, but an inland sea, surrounded on 
all sides by enchanted barriers, so 
strange, so wonderful was the aspect 
of its coasts. Before us lay the im- 
pregnable hill ; on our right the African 
continent, with its grey Gibil Muza, 
and the crag of Ceuta, to which last a 
solitary bark seemed steering its way ; 
behind us the town we had just quitted, 
with its mountain wall ; on our left the 
coast of Spain. The surface of the 
water was unruffled by a wave, and as 
we rapidly glided on, the strange object 
which we were approaching became 
momentarily more distinct and visible. 
There, at the base of the mountain, and 
covering a small portion of its side, lay 
the city, with its ramparts garnished 
with black guns, pointing significantly 
at its moles and harbours ; above, seem- 
ingly on every crag which could be 
made available for the purpose of de- 
fence or destruction, peered batteries, 
pale and sepulchral looking, as if omi- 
nous of the fate which awaited any in- 
trusive foe ; whilst east and west towards 
Africa and Spain, on the extreme points, 
rose castles, towers, or atalaias which 
overcrowed the whole, and all the cir- 
cumjacent region, whether land or sea. 
Mighty and threatening appeared the 
fortifications, and doubtless, viewed in 
any other situation, would have alone 
occupied the mind and engrossed its 
wonder ; but the hill, the wondrous hill, 
was everywhere about them, beneath 
them, or above them, overpowering their 
effect as a spectacle. Who, when he 
beholds the enormous elephant, with 
his brandished trunk, dashing impetu- 
ously to the war, sees the castle which 
he bears, or fears the javelins of those 
whom he carries, however skilful and 
warlike they may be ? Never does 
God appear so great and powerful as 
when the works of his hands stand in 
contrast with the labours of man. Sur- 
vey the Escurial ; it is a proud work, 
but wonder if you can when you see 
the mountain mocking it belrlnd ; sur- 



vey that boast of Moorish kings, survey 
Granada from its plain, and wonder if 
you can, for you see the Alpujarra 
mocking it from behind. 0 what are 
the works of man compared with those 
of the Lord? Even as man is com- 
pared with his Creator. Man builds 
pyramids, and God builds pyramids - 
the pyramids of man are heaps of shin 
gles, tiny hillocks on a sandy plain; 
the pyramids of the Lord are Andes and 
Indian hills. Man builds walls and so 
does his Master ; but the walls of God 
are the black precipices of Gibraltar 
and Horneel, eternal, indestructible, 
and not to be scaled; whilst those of 
man can be climbed, can be broken by 
the wave, or shattered by the lightning 
or the powder blast. Would man dis- 
play his power and grandeur to advan- 
tage, let him flee far from the hills ; for 
the broad pennants of God, even his 
clouds, float upon the tops of the hills, 
and the majesty of God is most mani- 
fest among the hills. Call Gibraltar 
the hill of Tarik or Hercules if you 
will, but gaze upon it for a moment and 
you will call it the hill of God. Tarik 
and the old giant may have built upon 
it ; but not all the dark race of whom 
Tarik was one, nor all the giants of old 
renown of whom the other was one, 
could have built up its crags or chiseled 
the enormous mass to its present shape. 

We dropped anchor not far from the 
mole. As we expected every moment 
to hear the evening gun, after which no 
person is permitted to enter the town, I 
was in trepidation lest I should be 
oblige4 to pass the night on board the 
dirty Catalan steamer, which, as I had 
no occasion to proceed farther in her, I 
was in great haste to quit. A boat now 
drew nigh, with two individuals at the 
stern, one of whom, standing up, de- 
manded, in an authoritative voice, the 
name of the vessel, her destination and 
cargo. Upon being answered, they 
came on board. After some conversa- 
tion with the captain, they were about 
to depart, when I inquired whether I 
could accompany them on shore. The 
person I addressed was a tall young 
maii, with a fustian frock coat. He had 
a long face, long nose, and wide mouth, 
with Inrge restless eyes. There was a 



298 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



[_CHAP. I/T. 



grin on his countenance which seemed 
permanent, and, had it not been for his 
bronzed complexion, I should have 
declared him to be a cockney, and 
nothing else. He was, however, no such 
thing, but what is called a rock lizard, 
that is, a person born at Gibraltar of 
English parents. Upon hearing my 
question, which was in Spanish, he 
grinned more than ever, and inquired, 
in a strange accent, whether I was a 
son of Gibraltar. I replied that I had 
^iot that honour, but that I was a British 
subject. Whereupon he said that he 
should make no difficulty in taking me 
ashore. We entered the boat, which 
was rapidly rowed toward the land by 
four Genoese sailors. My two com- 
panions chattered in their strange Spa- 
nish^ he of the fustian occasionally 
turning his countenance full upon me, 
the last grin appearing ever more hide- 
ous than the preceding ones. We soon 
reached the quay, where my name was 
noted down by a person who demanded 
my passport, and I was then permitted 
to advance. 

It was now dusk, and I lost no time 
in crossing the drawbridge and enter- 
ing the long low archway which, passing 
under the rampart, communicates with 
the town. Beneath this archway paced, 
with measured tread, tall red-coated 
sentinels with shouldered guns. There 
was no stopping, no sauntering in these 
men. There was no laughter, no ex- 
change of light conversation with the 
passers-by, but their bearing was that 
of British soldiers, conscious of the 
duties of their station. What a dif- 
ference between them and the listless 
loiterers who stand at guard at the gate 
of a Spanish garrisoned town ! 

I now proceeded up the principal 
street, which runs with a gentle ascent 
along the base of the hill. Accustomed 
for some months past to the melancholy 
silence of Seville, I was almost deafened 
by the noise and bustle which reigned 
around. It was Sunday night, and of 
course no business was going on, but 
there were throngs of people passing up 
and down. Here was a military guard 
proceeding along ; here walked a group 
of officers, there a knot of soldiers stood 
talking and laughing. The greater 



part of the civilians appeared to be 
Spaniards, but there was a large sprink- 
ling of Jews in the dress of those of 
Barbary, and here and there a tnrbaned 
Moor. There were gangs of sailors 
likewise, Genoese, judging from the 
patois which they were speaking, though 
I occasionally distinguished the sound 
of " ton logou sas," by which I knew 
there were Greeks at hand, and twice 
or thrice caught a glimpse of the red 
cap and blue silken petticoats of the 
mariner from the Romaic isles. On 
still I hurried, till I arrived at a well- 
known hostelry, close by a kind of 
square, in which stands the little ex 
change 01 Gibraltar. Into this I ran 
and demanded lodging, receiving a 
cheerful welcome from the genius of 
the place, who stood behind the bar, 
and whom I shall perhaps have occasion 
subsequently to describe. All the lower 
rooms were filled with men of the rock, 
burley men in general, with swarthy 
complexions and English features, with 
white hats, white jean jerkins, and white 
jean pantaloons. They were smoking 
pipes and cigars, and drinking porter, 
wine, and various other fluids, and eon- 
I versing in the rock Spanish, or rock 
! English, as the fit took them. Dense 
was the smoke of tobacco, and great 
the din of voices, and I was glad to 
hasten up stairs to an unoccupied 
apartment, where I was served with 
some refreshment, of which I stood 
much in need. 

I was soon disturbed by the sound of 
martial music close below my windows. 
I went down and stood at the door. A 
military band was marshalled upon the 
little square before the exchange. It 
was preparing to beat the retreat. Afrer 
the prelude, which was admirably exe- 
cuted, the tall leader gave a flourish 
with his stick, and strode forward up 
the street, followed by the whole com- 
pany of noble-looking fellows and a 
crowd of admiring listeners. The cym- 
bals clashed, the horns screamed, and 
the kettle-drum emitted its deep awful 
note, till the old rock echoed again, and 
the hanging terraces of the town rang 
with the stirring noise : 

" Dub-a dub, dub-a-dub — thus go the drums s 
Tantaxa, fantara, the Englishman comes." 



OHAP. LI.] 



THE BIBLE LV SPAIN. 



297 



O England! long, long, may it be 
ere the sun of thy glory sink beneath 
the wave of darkness ! Though gloomy 
ana portentous clouds are now gather- 
ing rapidly around thee, still, still may 
it please the Almighty to disperse them, 
and to grant thee a futurity longer in 
duration, and still brighter in renown, 
than thy past ! Or if thy doom be at 
hand, may that doom be a noble one, 
and worthy of her who has been styled 
the Old Queen of the waters ! May 
thou sink, if thou dost sink, amidst 
blood and flame, with a mighty noise, 
causing more than one nation to parti- 
cipate in thy downfall ! Of all fates, 
may it please the Lord to preserve thee 
from a disgraceful and a slow decay ; 
becoming, ere extinct, a scorn and a 
mockery for those selfsame foes who 
now, though they envy and abhor thee, 
still fear thee, nay, even against their 
will, honour and respect thee ! 

Arouse thee, whilst yet there is time, 
and prepare thee for the combat of life 
and death! Cast from thee the foul 
scurf which now encrusts thy robust 
lirnLb, which deadens their force, and 



makes them heavy and powerless ! 
Cast from thee thy false philosophers, 
who would fain decry what, next to the 
love of God, has hitherto been deemed 
most sacred, the love of the mother 
land ! Cast from thee thy false pa- 
triots, who, under the pretext of re- 
dressing the wrongs of the poor and 
weak, seek to promote internal discord, 
so that thou mayest become only ter- 
rible to thyself! And remove from 
thee the false prophets, who have seen 
vanity and divined lies ; who have 
daubed thy wall with untempered mor- 
tar, that it may fall : who see visions 
of peace where there is no peace ; who 
have strengthened the hands of the 
wicked, and made the heart of the 
righteous sad. O, do this, and fear not 
the result ; for either shall thy end be a 
majestic and an enviable one, or God 
shall perpetuate thy reign upon the 
waters, thou Old Queen ! 

The above was part of a broken 
prayer for my native land, which, after 
my usual thanksgiving, I breathed to 
the Almighty ere retiring; to rest tlias 
Sunday night at Gibraltar. 



[ 2'.*3 ] 



CHAPTER LI1. 

The .Toll} Hosteler — Aspirants for Glory— A Portrait — Hamalos— Solomon - —An Expedition--* 
The Yeoman Soldier — The Excavations — The Pull by the Skirt— Judah and his Father — 
Judah's Pilgrimage The Bushy Beard — The False .Moors — Judah and the King's Son — 
Premature Old Age. 



Perhaps it would have been impos- 
sible to have chosen a situation more 
adapted for studying at my ease Gibral- 
tar and its inhabitants, than that which 
I found myself occupying about ten 
o'clock on the following morning. 
Seated on a small bench just opposite 
the bar, close by the door, in the pas- 
sage of the hostelry at which I had 
taken up my temporary abode, I en- 
joyed a view of the square of the ex- 
change and all that was going on there, 
and, by merely raising my eyes, could 
gaze at my leisure on the stupendous 
hill which towers above the town to an 
altitude of some thousand feet. I could 
likewise observe every person who en- 
tered or left the house, which is one of 
great resort, being situated in the most 
frequented place of the principal tho- 
roughfare of the town. My eyes were 
busy, and so were my ears. Close be- 
side me stood my excellent friend Grif- 
fiths, the jolly hosteler, of whom I take 
the present opportunity of saying a few 
words, though I dare say he has been 
frequently described before, ana Dy tar 
better pens. Let those who know him 
not figure to themselves a man of about 
fifty, at least six feet in height, and 
weighing some eighteen stone, an ex- 
ceedingly florid countenance and good 
features, eyes full of quickness and 
shrewdness, but at the same time beam- 
ing with good nature. He wears white 
pantaloons, white f x, ock, and white hat, 
and is, indeed, all white, with the ex- 
ception of his polished Wellingtons and 
rubicund face. He carries a whip be- 
neath his arm, which adds wonderfully 
to the knowingness of his appearance, 
which is rather more that of a gentle- 
man who keeps an inn on the New- 
market road, " purely for the love, of 



travellers, and the money which they 
carry about them/' than of a native of 
the rock. Nevertheless, he will tell 
you himself that he is a rock lizard ; 
and you will scarcely doubt it when, 
besides his English, which is broad and 
vernacular, you hear him speak Spa- 
nish, ay, and Genoese too, when neces- 
sary, and it is no child's play to speak 
the latter, which I myself could never 
master. He is a good judge of horse- 
flesh, and occasionally sells a " bit of a 
blood," or a Barbary steed, to a young 
hand, though he has no objection to do 
business with an old one ; for there is 
not a thin, crouching, liver-faced, lynx- 
eyed Jew of Fez capable of outwitting 
him in a bargain, or cheating him out 
of one single pound of the fifty thousand 
sterling which he possesses ; and yet 
ever bear in mind that he is a good- 
natured fellow to those who are dis- 
posed to behave honourably to him, 
and know likewise that he will lend 
you money, if you are a gentleman, 
and are in need of it ; but depend upon 
it, if he refuse you, there is something 
not altogether right about you, for Grif- 
fiths knows Ms world, and is not to be 
made a fool of. 

There was a prodigious quantity of 
porter consumed in my presence during 
the short hour that I sat on the bench 
of that hostelry of the rock. The pas- 
sage before the bar was frequently 
filled with officers, who lounged in for 
a refreshment which the sultry heat of 
the weather rendered necessary, or at 
least inviting ; whilst not a few came 
galloping up to the door on small Bar- 
bary horses, which are to be found in 
great abundance at Gibraltar. All 
seemed to be on the best terms with 
the host, with whom they occasionally 



CHAP. LI1.] 



THE BIBLE 



IN SPAIN. 



299 



discussed the merits of particular steeds, 
and whose jokes they invariably re- 
ceived with unbounded approbation. 
There was much in the demeanour and 
appearance of these young men, for the 
greater part were quite young, which 
was highly interesting and agreeable. 
Indeed, I believe it may be said of 
English officers in general, that in per- 
sonal appearance, and in polished man- 
ners, they bear the palm- from those of 
the same class over the world* True 
it is, that the officers of the royal guard 
of Eussia, especially of the three noble 
regiments styled the Priberjensky, Si- 
meonsky, and Finlansky polks, might 
. fearlessly enter into competition in al- 
most all points with the flower of the 
British army ; but it must be remem- 
bered, that those regiments are officered 
by the choicest specimens of the Scla- 
vonian nobility, young men selected 
expressly for the splendour of their 
persons, and for the superiority of their 
mental endowments ; w T hilst, probably, 
amongst all the fair-haired Anglo-Saxon 
youths whom I now saw gathered near 
me, there was not a single one of noble 
ancestry, nor of proud and haughty 
name ; and certainly, so far from hav- 
ing been selected to flatter the pride 
and add to the pomp of a despot, they 
had been taken indiscriminately from 
a mass of ardent aspirants for military 
glory, and sent on their country's ser- 
vice to a remote and unhealthy colony. 
Nevertheless, they were such as their 
country might be proud of, for gallant 
boys they looked, with courage on their 
brows, beauty and health on their 
cheeks, and intelligence in their hazel 
eyes. 

Who is he who now stops before the 
door without entering, and addresses a 
question to my host, who advances with 
a respectful salute ? He is no common 
man, or his appearance belies him 
strangely. His dress is simple enough ; 
a Spanish hat, with a peaked crown 
and broad shadowy brim — the veritable 
sombrero — jean pantaloons and blue 
hussar jacket ; — but how well that dress 
becomes one of the most noble-looking 
figures I ever beheld. I gazed upon 
him with strange respect and admi- 
ration as he stood benignantly smiling 



and joking in good Spanish with an 
impudent rock rascal, w r ho held in his 
hand a huge bogamante, or coarse car- 
rion lobster, which he would fain have 
persuaded him to purchase. He was 
almost gigantically tall, towering nearly 
three inches above the burly host him- 
self, yet athletically symmetrical, and 
straight as the pine-tree of Dovrefeld. 
He must have counted eleven lustres, 
which cast an air of mature dignity 
over a countenance which seemed to 
have been chiselled by some Grecian 
sculptor, and yet his hair was black as 
the plume of the Norwegian raven, and 
so was the moustache which curled 
above his well formed lip. In the garb 
of Greece, and in the camp before Troy, 
1 should have taken him for Agamem- 
non. " Is that man a general?" said 
I to a short queer-looking personage, 
who sat by my side, intently studying a 
newspaper. " That gentleman/' he 
whispered in a lisping accent, " is, sir, 
the Lieutenant-Governor of Gibraltar." 

On either side outside the door, squat- 
ting on the ground, or leaning indo- 
lently against the walls, were some 
half dozen men of very singular appear- 
ance. Their principal garment was a 
kind of blue gown, something resem- 
bling the blouse worn by the peasants 
of the north of France, but not so long ; 
it was compressed around their waists 
by a leathern girdle, and depended about 
half way down their thighs. Their 
legs were bare, so that I had an oppor- 
tunity of observing the calves, which 
appeared unnaturally large. Upon the 
head they wore small scull-caps of black 
wool. I asked the most athletic of these 
men, a dark-visaged fellow of forty, 
who they were. He answered, " ha- 
malos." This word I knew to be Ara- 
bic, in which tongue it signifies a por- 
ter ; and, indeed, the next moment, I 
saw a similar fellow staggering across 
the square under an immense burden, 
almost sufficient to have broken the 
back of a camel. On again addressing 
my swarthy friend, and inquiring 
whence he came, he replied, that he was 
born at Mogadore, in Barbary, but had 
passed the greatest part of his life at 
Gibraltar. He added, that he was the 
" capitaz," or head man of the " ha- 



300 



THE BIBLE IN SfaIN. 



[chap. lxi« 



malos " near the door. I now addressed 
liim in the Arabic of the East, though 
with scarcely the hope of being under- 
stood, more especially as he had been so 
long from his own country. He how- 
ever answered very pertinently, his 
lips quivering with eagerness, and his 
eyes sparkling with joy, though it was 
easy to perceive that the Arabic, or 
rather the Moorish, was not the lan- 
guage in which he was accustomed 
either to think or speak. His compa- 
nions all gathered round and listened 
with avidity, occasionally exclaiming, 
when anything was said which they 
approved of: " Wakhud rajil skereef 
liada, miii beleddel scharki" (A holy 
man this, from the kingdoms of the 
East). At last I produced the shekel, 
which I invariably carry about me as a 
pocket-piece, and asked the capitaz 
whether he had ever seen that money 
before. He surveyed the censer and 
olive-branch for a considerable time, 
and evidently knew not what to make 
of it. At length he fell to inspecting 
the characters round about it on both 
sides, and giving a cry, exclaimed to 
the other hamalos : " Brothers, bro- 
thers, these are the letters of Solomon. 
This silver is blessed. W e must kiss 
this money." He then put it upon his 
head, pressed it to his eyes, and finally 
kissed it with enthusiasm, as did suc- 
cessively all his brethren. Then re- 
gaining it, he returned it to me, with a 
low reverence. Griffiths subsequently 
informed me, that the fellow refused to 
work during all the rest of the day, and 
did nothing but smile, laugh, and talk 
to himself. 

" Allow me to offer you a glass of 
bittern, sir," said the queer-looking per- 
sonage before mentioned; he was a cor- 
pulent man, very short, and his legs 
particularly so. His dress consisted of 
a greasy snuff-coloured coat, dirty white 
trousers, and dirtier stockings. On his 
head he wore a rusty silk hat, the eaves 
of which had a tendency to turn up be- 
fore and behind. I had observed that, 
during my conversation with the ha- 
malos, he had several times uplifted his 
eyes from the newspaper, and on the 
production of the shekel had grinned 
very significantly, and hac 1 inspected it j 



when in the hand of the capitaz. " Al- 
low me to offer you a glass of bitters," 
said he ; " I guessed you was one of our 
people before you spoke to the hamaios. 
Sir, it does my heart good to see a gen- 
tleman of your appearance not above 
speaking to his poor brethren. It is 
what I do myself not unfrequently, and 
I hope God will blot out my name, and 
that is Solomons, when I despise them. 
I do not pretend to much Arabic my- 
self, yet I understood you tolerably well, 
and I liked your discourse much. You 
must have a great deal of shillam eidri, 
nevertheless you startled me when you 
asked the hamalo if he ever read the 
Torah ; of course you meant with the 
meforshim ; poor as he is, I do not be- 
lieve him becoresh enough to read the 
Torah without the commentators. So 
help me, sir, I believe you to be a Sa- 
lamancan Jew ; I am told there are still 
some of the old families to be found 
there. Ever at Tudela, sir ? not very 
far from Salamanca, I believe ; one of 
my own kindred once lived there: a 
great traveller, sir, like yourself : went 
over all the world to look for the Jews, 
— went to the top of Sinai. Any thing 
that I can do for you at Gibraltar, sir ? 
Any commission? will execute it as 
reasonably, and more expeditiously than 
any one else. My name is Solomons. 
I am tolerably well known at Gibral- 
tar ; yes, sir, and in the Crooked Friars, 
and, for that matter, in the Neuen Stein 
Steg, at Hamburgh ; so help me, sir, I 
think I once saw your face at the fair 
at Bremen, Speak German, sir ? though 
of course you do. Allow me, sir, to 
offer you a glass of bitters. I wish, sir, 
they were mayim, hayim for your sake, 
I do indeed, sir, I wish they were living 
waters. Now, sir, do give me your 
opinion as to this matter (lowering his 
voice and striking the newspaper). Do 
you not think it is very hard that one 
Yudken should betray the other ? When 
I put my little secret beyad peluni, — 
you understand me. sir? when I en- 
trust my poor secret to the custody of 
an individual, and that individual a 
Jew, a Yudken, sir, I do not wish to 
be blown, indeed, I do not expect it. 
In a word, what do you think of the 
gold dust robbery, and what will be done 



CHAP. LII.] 



THE BIBLE 



IN SPAIN. 



•301 



to those unfortunate people, who I see 
are convicted ?" 

That same day I made inquiry re- 
specting the means of transferring my- 
self to Tangier, having no wish to pro- 
long my stay at Gibraltar, where, 
though it is an exceedingly interesting 
place to an observant traveller, I had 
no particular business to detain me. In 
the evening I was visited by a Jew, a 
native of Barbary, who informed me 
that he was secretary to the master of a 
small Genoese bark which plied between 
Tangier and Gibraltar. Upon his as- 
suring me that the vessel would infal- 
libly start for the former place on the 
following evening, I agreed with him 
for my passage. He said that as the 
wind was blowing from the Levant 
quarter, the voyage would be a speedy 
one. Being desirous now of disposing 
to the most advantage of the short time 
which I expected to remain at Gibral- 
tar, I determined upon visiting the ex- 
cavations, which I had as yet never 
seen, on the following morning, and ac- 
cordingly sent for and easily obtained 
the necessary permission. 

About six on Tuesday morning, I 
started on this expedition, attended by 
a very intelligent good-looking lad of 
the Jewish persuasion, one of two bro- 
thers who officiated at the inn in the ca- 
pacity of valets de place. 

The morning was dim and hazy, yet 
sultry to a degree. We ascended a 
precipitous street, and, proceeding in an 
easterly direction, soon arrived in the 
vicinity of what is generally known by 
the name of the Moorish Casne, a large 
tower, but so battered by the cannon 
balls discharged against it in the famous 
siege, that it is at present little better 
than a ruin ; hundreds of round holes 
are to be seen in its sides, in which, as 
it is said, the shot are still imbedded ; 
here, at a species of hut, we were joined 
by an artillery sergeant, who was to be 
our guide. After saluting us, he led 
tne way to a huge rock, where he un- 
locked a gate at the entrance of a dark 
vaulted passage which passed under it, 
emerging from which passage we found 
ourselves in a steep path, or rather 
staircase, with walls on either side. 

Wt proceeded very leisurely, for 



hurry in such a situation would ha \ e 
been of little avail, as Ave should have 
lost our breath in a minute's time. The 
soldier, perfectly well acquainted with 
the locality, stalked along with mea- 
sured steps, his eyes turned to thi 
ground. 

I looked fully as much at that man 
as at the strange place where we now 
were, and which was every moment 
becoming stranger. He was a fine spe- 
cimen of the yeoman turned soldier; 
indeed, the corps to which he belonged 
consists almost entirely of that class. 
There he paces along, tall, strong, 
ruddy, and chestnut-haired, an Eng- 
lishman every inch ; behold him pacing 
along, sober, silent, and civil, a genuine 
English soldier. I prize the sturdy 
Scot, I love the daring and impetuous 
Irishman ; I admire all the various 
races which constitute the population 
of the British isles ; yet I must say that, 
upon the whole, none are so well adapted 
to ply the soldier's hardy trade as the 
rural sons of old England, so strong, so 
cool, yet, at the same time, animated 
with so much hidden fire. Turn to the 
history of England and you will at 
once perceive of what such men are ca- 
pable : even at Hastings, in the grey old 
time, under almost every disadvantage, 
weakened by a recent and terrible con- 
flict, without discipline, comparatively 
speaking, and uncouthly armed, they 
all but vanquished the Norman chivalry. 
Trace their deeds in France, which they 
twice subdued ; and even follow them 
to Spain, where they twanged the yew 
ana raised the battle-axe, and left be- 
hind them a name of glory at Inglis 
Mendi, a name that shall last till fire 
consumes the Cantabrian hills. And, 
oh, in modern times, trace the deeds of 
these gallant men all over the world, 
and especially in France and Spain, 
and admire them, even as I did that 
sober, silent, soldier-like man who was 
showing me the wonders of a foreign 
mountain fortress, wrested by his coun- 
trymen from a powerful and proud na- 
tion more than a century before, and of 
which he was now a trusty and efficient 
guardian. 

We arrived close to the stupendous 
\ precipice, which rises abruptly above 



302 



THE BIBLE [X SPAIN. 



[CHAP. LII 



the isthmus called the neutral ground, 
staring gauntly and horridly at Spain, 
and immediately entered the excava- 
tions. They consist of galleries scooped 
in the living rock at the distance of 
some twelve feet from the outside, be- 
hind which they run the whole breadth 
of the hill in this direction. In these 
galleries, at short distances, are ragged 
yawning apertures, all formed by the 
hand of man. where stand the cannon 
upon neat slightly raised pavements of 
small flint stones, each with its pyramid 
of bullets on one side, and on the other a 
box, in which is stowed the gear which 
the gunner requires in the exercise of 
his craft. Everything was in its place, 
everything in the nicest English order, 
everything ready to scathe and over- 
whelm in a few moments the proudest 
and most numerous host which might 
appear marching in hostile array against 
this singular fortress on the land side. 

There is not much variety in these 
places, one cavern and one gun resem- 
bling the other. As for the guns, they 
are not of large calibre, indeed, such 
are not needed here, where a pebble 
discharged from so great an altitude 
would be fraught with death. On de- 
scending a shaft, however, I observed, 
in one cave of special importance, two 
enormous carronades looking with pe- 
culiar wickedness and malignity down 
a shelving rock, which perhaps, al- 
though not without tremendous diffi- 
culty, might be scaled. The mere wind 
of one of these huge guns would be 
sufficient to topple over, a thousand men. 
What sensations of dread and horror 
must be awakened in the breast of a foe 
when this hollow rock, in the day of 
siege, emits its flame, smoke, and thun- 
dering wind from a thousand yawning 
holes : horror not inferior to that felt 
by the peasant of the neighbourhood 
when Mongibello belches forth from all 
its orifices its sulphureous fires. 

Emerging from the excavations, we 
proceeded to view various batteries. I 
asked the sergeant whether his compa- 
nions and himself were dexterous at 
the use of the guns. He replied that 
these cannons were to them what the 
fowling-piece is to the fowler, that they 
han lied them as easily, and, he be- 



lieved, pointed them with more preci- 
sion, as they seldom or never missed an 
object within range of the shot. This 
man never spoke until he was addressed, 
and then the answers which he gave 
were replete with good sense, ard in 
general well worded. After our ex- 
cursion, which lasted at least two hours, 
I made him a small present, and took 
leave with a hearty shake of the hand. 

In the evening I prepared to go on 
board the vessel bound for Tangier, 
trusting in what the Jewish secretary 
had told me as to its sailing. Meeting 
him, however, accidentally in the street, 
he informed me that it woidd not start 
until the following morning, advising 
me at the same time to be on board at 
an early hour. I now roamed about 
the streets until night was beginning to 
set in, and becoming weary, I was just 
about to direct my steps to the inn, 
when I felt myself gently pulled by the 
skirt. I was amidst a concourse of 
people who were gathered around some 
Irish soldiers who were disputing, and 
I paid no attention : but I was pulled 
again more forcibly than before, and I 
heard myself addressed in a language 
which I had half forgotten, and which I 
scarcely expected ever to hear again. 
I looked round, and lo ! a tall figure 
stood close to me and gazed in my face 
| ^ith anxious inquiring eyes. On its 
i head was the kauk or furred cap of Je- 
rusalem ; depending from its shoulders, 
and almost trailing on the ground, was 
a broad blue mantle, whilst kandrisa or 
! Turkish trousers enveloped its nether 
limbs. I gazed on the figure as wist- 
fully as it gazed upon me. At first the 
I features appeared perfectly strange, and 
I was about to exclaim, I know you 
not, when one or two lineaments struck 
me, and I cried, though somewhat hesi- 
tatingly, " Surely this is Judah Lib." 

I was in a steamer in the Baltic in 
the year '34, if I mistake not. There 
was a drizzling rain and a high sea, 
when I observed a young man of about 
two and twenty leaning in a melan- 
choly attitude against the side of the 
vessel. By his countenance I knew 
him to be one of the Hebrew race, ne- 
vertheless there was something very 
singular in his appearance, something 



cmap. lit.j THE BIBLE 

which is rarely found amongst that 
people, a certain air of nobleness which 
highly interested me. I approached 
him, and in a few minutes we were in 
earnest conversation. He spoke Polish 
and Jewish German indiscriminately. 
The story which he related to me was 
highly extraordinary, yet I yielded im- 
plicit credit to all his words, which 
came from his mouth with an air of 
sincerity which precluded doubt ; and, 
moreover, he could have no motive for 
deceiving me. One idea, one object, 
engrossed him entirely : " My father/' 
said he, in language which strongly 
marked his race, " was a native of Ga- 
iatia, a Jew of high caste, a learned 
man, for he knew Zohar,* and he was 
likewise skilled in medicine. When I 
was a child of some eight years, he left 
Galatia, and taking his wife, who was 
my mother, and myself with him, he 
bent his way unto the East, even to Je- 
rusalem; there he established himself 
as a merchant, for he was acquainted 
with trade and the arts of getting money. 
He was much respected by the Rabbins 
of Jerusalem, for he was a Polish man, 
and he knew more Zohar and more se- 
crets than the wisest of them. He made 
frequent journeys, and was absent for 
weeks and for months, but he never 
exceeded six moons. My father loved 
me, and he taught me part of what he 
knew in the moments of his leisure. I 
assisted him in his trade, but he took 
me not with him in his journeys. We 
had a shop at Jerusalem, even a shop 
of commerce, where we sold the goods 
of the Nazarene, and my mother and 
myself, and even a little sister who was 
born shortly after our arrival at Jeru- 
salem, all assisted my father in his 
commerce. At length it came to pass, 
that on a particular time he told us 
that he was going on a journey, and he 
embraced us and bade us farewell, and 
he departed, whilst we continued at Je- 
rusalem attending to the business. We 
awaited his return, but months passed, 
even six months, and he came not, 
and we wondered ; and months passed, 

* A Rabbinical book, very difficult to be 
understood, though written avowedly tor the 
purpose of elucidating many points connected 
vsith tiie religious ceremonies of the Hebrews. 



IN SPAIN. 303 



even other six passed, but still he came 
not, nor did we hear any tidings of 
him, and our hearts were filled with 
heaviness and sorrow. But when years, 
even two years, were expired, I said to 
my mother, ' I will go and seek my 
father ;' and she said, 6 Do so/ and she 
gave me her blessing, and I kissed my 
little sister, and I went forth as far as 
Egypt, and there I heard tidings of my 
father, for people told me he had been 
there, and they named the time, and 
they said that he had passed from thence 
to the land of the Turk ; so I myself 
followed to the land of the Turk, even 
unto Constantinople. And when I ar- 
rived there I again heard of my father, 
for he was well known amongst the 
Jews, and they told me the time of his 
being there, and they added that he had 
speculated and prospered, and departed 
from Constantinople, but whither he 
went they knew not. So I reasoned 
within myself and said, perhaps he may 
have gone to the land of his fathers, 
even unto Galatia, to visit his kindred : 
so I determined to go there myself, and 
I went, and I found our kindred, and I 
made myself known to them, and they 
rejoiced to see me: but when I asked 
them for my father, they shook their 
heads and could give me no intelli- 
gence ; and they would fain have had 
me tarry with them, but I would not, 
for the thought of my father was work- 
ing strong within me, and I could not 
rest. So I departed and went to an- 
other country, -even unto Russia, and I 
went deep into that country, even as 
far as Kazan, and of all I met, whether 
Jew, or Russ, or Tartar. I inquired for 
my father : but no one knew him, nor 
had heard of him. So I turned back, 
and here thou seest me ; and I now pur- 
pose going through all Germany and 
France, nay, through all the world, 
until I have received intelligence of my 
father, for I cannot rest until I know 
what is become of my father, for the 
thought of him bumeth in my brain 
like fire, even like the fire of Jehin- 
nim." 

Such was the individual whom I 
now saw again, after a lapse of five 
years, in the street of Gibraltar, in the 
dusk of the evening. " Yes," he re- 

x 



304 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



[chap, lii 



plied, " I am Judah, surnamed the Lib. 
Thou didst not recognise me, but I 
knew thee at once. I should have 
known thee amongst a million, and not 
a day has passed since I last saw thee, 
but I have thought on theo." I was 
about to reply, but he pulled me out of 
the crowd and led me into a shop where, 
squatted on the floor, sat six or seven 
JewS cutting leather ; he said some- 
thing to them which I did not under- 
stand, whereupon they bowed their 
heads and followed their occupation, 
without taking any notice of us. A 
singular figure had followed us to the 
door : it was a man dressed in exceed- 
ingly shabby European garments, which 
exhibited nevertheless the cut of a fa- 
shionable tailor. He seemed about 
fifty ; his face, which was very broad, 
was of a deep bronze colour ; the fea- 
tures were rugged, but exceedingly 
manly, and, notwithstanding they were 
those of a Jew, exhibited no marks of 
cunning, but, on the contrary, much 
simplicity and good nature. His form 
was above the middle height, and tre- 
mendously athletic, the arms and back 
were literally those of a Hercules 
squeezed into a modern surtout ; the 
lower part of his face was covered with 
a bushy beard, which depended half 
way down his breast. This figure re- 
mained at the door, his eyes fixed upon 
myself and Judah. 

The first inquiry which I now ad- 
dressed was, " Have you heard of your 
father ? » 

" I have," he replied. " When we 
parted, I proceeded through many lands, 
and wherever I went I inquired of the 
people respecting my father, but still 
they shook their heads, until I arrived 
at the land of Tunis ; and there I went 
to the head rabbi, and he told me that 
he knew my father well, and that he 
had been there, even at Tunis, and he 
named the time, and he said that from 
thence he departed for the land of Fez ; 
and he spoke much of my father and of 
his learning, and he mentioned the Zo- 
har, even that dark book which my 
father loved so well : and he spoke yet 
more of my father's wealth and his 
speculations, in all of which, it seems 
he had thriven. So I departed, and I 



mounted a ship, and I went into the 
land of Barbary, even unto Fez, and 
when I arrived there I heard much in- 
telligence of my father, but it was intel- 
ligence which perhaps was worse than 
ignorance. For the Jews told me that 
my father had been there, and had 
speculated and had thriven, and that 
from thence he departed for Tafilaltz, 
which is the country of which the Em- 
peror, even Muley Abderrahman, is a 
native ; and there he was still prospe- 
rous, and his wealth in gold and silver 
was very great ; and he wished to go 
to a not far distant town, and he en- 
gaged certain Moors, two in number, 
to accompany him and defend him and 
his treasures : and the Moors were 
strong men, even makhasniah or sol- 
diers ; and they made a covenant with 
my father, and they gave him their 
right hands, and they swore to spill 
their blood rather than his should be 
shed. And my father was encouraged, 
and he waxed bold, and he departed 
with them, even with the two false 
Moors. And when they arrived in the 
uninhabited place, they smote my fa- 
ther, and they prevailed against him, 
and they poured out his blood in the 
way, and they robbed him of all he 
had, of his silks and his merchandise, 
and of the gold and silver which he 
had made in his speculations, and they 
went to their own village, and there 
they sat themselves down and bought 
lands and houses, and they rejoiced 
and they triumphed, and they made a 
merit of their deed, saying, ; We have 
killed an infidel, even an accursed Jew 
and these things were notorious in Fez. 
And when I heard these tidings m} 
heart was sad, and I became like a 
child, and I wept ; but the fire of Je- 
hinnim burned no longer in my brain, 
for I now knew what was become of 
my father. At last I took comfort, 
and I reasoned with myself, saying, 
6 Would it not be wise to go unto the 
Moorish king and demand of him ven- 
geance for my father's death, and that 
the spoilers be despoiled, and the trea- 
sure, even my father's treasure, be 
wrested from their hands and delivered 
up to me who am his son ? ' And the 
king of the Moors was not at that time 



CHAP. LII.] 



THE BIBLE 



IN SPAIN. 



305 



in Fez, but was absent in his wars ; 
and I arose and followed him, even 
unto Arbat, which is a sea-port, and 
when I arrived there, lo ! I found him 
not, but his son was there, and men 
said unto me, that to speak unto the son 
was to speak unto the king, even Muley 
Abderrahman ; so I went in unto the 
king's son, and I kneeled before him, 
and I lifted up my voice, and I said unto 
him what I had to say, and he looked 
courteously upon me and said, ' Truly 
thy tale is a sorrowful one, and it mak- 
eth me sad ; and what thou askest, 
that will I grant, and thy father's death ; 
shall be avenged, and the spoilers shall 
be despoiled ; and I will write thee a 
letter with my own hand unto the Pa- 
sha, even the Pasha of Tafilaltz, and I 
will enjoin him to make inquiry into 
thy matter, and that letter thou shalt 
thyself carry and deliver unto him.' 
And when I heard these words, my 
heart died within my bosom for very 
fear, and I replied, ' Not so, my lord ; 
it is good that thou write a letter unto 
the Pasha, even unto the Pasha of Ta- 
filaltz, but that letter will I not take, 
neither will I go to Tafilaltz, for no 
sooner should I arrive there, and my 
errand be known, than the Moors 
would arise and put me to death, either 
privily or publicly, for are not the mur- 
derers of my father Moors ; and am I 
aught but a Jew, though I be a Polish 
man ? ' And he looked benignantly, 
and he said, * Truly, thou speakest 
wisely ; I will write the letter, but thou 
shalt not take it, for I will send it by 
other hands ; therefore set thy heart at 
rest, and doubt not that, if thy tale be 
true, thy father's death shall be avenged, 
and the treasure, or the value thereof, 
be recovered and given up to thee ; tell 
me, therefore, where wilt thou abide 
till then ? ' And I said unto him, 
* My lord, I will go into the land of 
Suz and will tarry there/ And he 
replied: 'Do so, and thou shalt hear 
speedily from me.' So I arose and 
departed, and went into the land of 
Suz, even unto Sweerah, which the 
Nazarenes call Mogadore ; and I waited 
with a troubled heart for intelligence 



from the son of the Moorish king, but 
no intelligence came, and never since 
that day have I heard from him, and it 
is now three years since I was in his 
presence. And I sat me down at Mo- 
gadore, and I married a wife, a daugh- 
ter of our nation, and I wrote to my 
mother, even to Jerusalem, and she 
sent me money, and with that I entered 
into commerce, even as my father had 
done, and I speculated, and I was not 
successful in my speculations, and 1 
speedily lost all I had. And now I am 
come to Gibraltar to speculate on the 
! account of another, a merchant of Mo- 
gadore, but I like not my occupation ; 
he has deceived me ; I am going back, 
when I shall again seek the presence 
of the Moorish king, and demand that 
the treasure of my father be taken from 
the spoilers and delivered up to me, 
even to me his son/ 5 

I listened with mute attention to the 
singular tale of this singular man, and 
when he had concluded I remained a 
considerable time without saying a 
word; at last he inquired what had 
brought me to Gibraltar. I told him 
that I was merely a passer through on 
my way to Tangier, for which place I 
expected to sail the following morning. 
Whereupon he observed, that in the 
course of a week or two he expected to 
be there also, when he hoped that we 
should meet, as he had much more to 
tell me. " And peradventure, " he 
added, " you can afford me counsel 
which will be profitable, for you are a 
person of experience, versed in the 
ways of many nations; and when I 
look in your countenance, heaven seems 
to open to me, for I think I see the 
countenance of a friend, even of a bro- 
ther/' He then bade me farewell, ana 
departed; the strange bearded man, 
who during our conversation had re- 
mained patiently waiting at the door, 
following him. I remarked that there 
was less wildness in his look than on 
the former occasion, but, at the same 
time, more melancholy, and his features 
were wrinkled like those of an aged 
man, though he had not yet passed the 
I prime of youth. 



[ 30t» J 



CHAPTER LIII. 



Genoese Mariners — Saint Michael's Cave— Midnight Abysses— Young Ameiican— A. Slave 
Proprietor — The Fairy Man — infidelity. 



Throughout the whole of that night 
it blew very hard, but, as the wind was 
in the Levant quarter, I had no appre- 
hension of being detained longer at 
Gibraltar on that account. I went on 
board the vessel at an early hour, when 
I found the crew engaged in hauling 
the anchor close, and making other pre- 
parations for sailing. They informed 
me that we should probably start in 
an hour. That time however passed, 
and we still remained where we were, 
and the captain continued on shore. 
We formed one of a small flotilla of 
Genoese barks, the crews of which 
seemed in their leisure moments to 
have no better means of amusing them- 
selves than the exchange of abusive 
language: a furious fusilade of this 
kind presently commenced, in which 
the mate of our vessel particularly dis- 
tinguished himself ; he was a grey- 
haired Genoese of sixty. Though not 
able to speak their patois, I understood 
much of what was said ; it was truly 
shocking, and as they shouted it forth, 
judging from their violent gestures and 
distorted features, you would have con- 
cluded them to be bitter enemies ; they 
were, however, nothing of the kind, but 
excellent friends all the time, and in- 
deed very good-humoured fellows at 
bottom. Oh, the infirmities of human 
nature ! When will man learn to be- 
come truly Christian ? 

I am upon the whole very fond of 
the Genoese; they Lave, it is true, 
much ribaldry and many vices, but 
they are a brave and chivalrous people, 
and have ever been so, and from them 
I have never experienced aught but 
kindness and hospitality. 

After the lapse of another two hours, 
the Jew secretary arrived and said 
something to the old mate, who grumbled 



much ; then coming up to me, he took 
off his hat and informed me that wc 
were not to start that day, saying at the 
same time that it was a shame to lose 
such a noble wind, which would carry 
us to Tangier in three hours. " Pa- 
tience," said I, and went on shore. 

I now strolled towards St. Michael's 
cave, in company with the Jewish lad 
whom I have before mentioned. 

The way thither does not lie in the 
same direction as that which leads to 
the excavations ; these confront Spain, 
whilst the cave yawns in the face of 
Africa. It lies nearly at the top of the 
mountain, several hundred yards above 
the sea. We passed by the public walks, 
where there are noble trees, and also by 
many small houses, situated delight- 
fully in gardens, and occupied by the 
officers of the garrison. It is wrong to 
suppose Gibraltar a mere naked barren 
rock ; it is not without its beautiful 
spots — spots such as these, looking cool 
and refreshing, with bright green fo- 
liage. The path soon became very 
steep, and we left behind us the dwell- 
ings of man. The gale of the preced- 
ing night had entirely ceased, and not 
a breath of air was stirring ; the mid- 
day sun shone in all its fierce glory, and 
the crags up which we clambered were 
not unfrequently watered with the per- 
spiration drops which rained from our 
temples : at length we arrived at the 
cavern. 

The mouth is a yawning cleft in the 
side of the mountain, about twelve feet 
high and as many wide ; within there 
is a very rapid precipitous descent for 
some fifty yards, where the cavern ter- 
minates in an abyss which leads to un- 
known depths. The most remarkable 
object is a natural column, which rises 
up something like the trunk of an enor- 



CIIAP. Llll.j 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



307 



mous oak, as if for the purpose of sup- 
porting the roof; it stands at a short 
distance from the entrance, and gives a 
certain air of wildness and singularity 
to that part of the cavern which is 
visible, which it would otherwise not 
possess. The floor is exceedingly slip- 
pery, consisting of soil which the con- 
tinual drippings from the roof have 
saturated, so that no slight precaution 
is necessary for him who treads it. It 
is very dangerous to enter this place 
without a guide well acquainted with 
it, as, besides the black pit at the ex- 
tremity, holes which have never been 
fathomed present themselves here and 
there, falling into which the adventurer 
would be dashed to pieces^ Whatever 
men may please to say of this cave, one 
thing it seems to tell to all who approach 
it, namely, that the hand of man has 
never been busy about it ; there is 
many a cave of nature's forming, old as 
the earth on which we exist, which ne- 
vertheless exhibits indications that man 
has turned it to some account, and that 
it has been subjected more or less to his 
modifying power; not so this cave of 
Gibraltar, for, judging from its appear- 
ance, there is not the slightest reason 
for supposing that it ever served for 
aught else than a den for foul night 
birds, reptiles, and beasts of prey. It 
has been stated by some to have been 
used in the days of paganism as a temple 
to the god Hercules, who, according to 
the ancient tradition, raised the singular 
mass of crags now called Gibraltar, 
and the mountain which confronts it on 
the African shores, as columns which 
should say to all succeeding times that 
he had been there, and had advanced 
no farther. Sufficient to observe, mat 
there is nothing within the cave which 
would authorise the adoption of such 
an opinion, not even a platform on 
which an altar could have stood, whilst 
a narrow path passes before it, leading 
to the summit of the mountain. As I 
have myself never penetrated into its 
depths, I can of course not pretend to 
describe them. Numerous have been 
the individuals who, instigated by cu- 
riosity, have ventured down to immense 
depths, hoping to discover an end, and 
indeed scarcely a week passes without 



similar attempts being made either by 
the officers or soldiers of the ga/rison, 
all of which have proved perfectly abor- 
tive. No termination has ever been 
reached, nor any discoveries made to 
repay the labour and frightful danger 
incurred ; precipice succeeds precipice, 
and abyss succeeds abyss, in apparently 
endless succession, with ledges at in- 
tervals, which afford the adventurers 
opportunities for resting themselves 
and affixing their rope-ladders for the 
purpose of descending yet farther. 
What is, however, most mortifying 
and perplexing, is to observe that these 
abysses are not only before, but behind 
you, and on every side ; indeed, close 
within the entrance of the cave, on the 
right, there is a gulf almost equally 
dark and full as threatening as that 
which exists at the nether end, and 
perhaps contains within itself as many 
gulfs and horrid caverns branching off 
in all directions. Indeed, from what I 
have heard, I have come to the opinion 
that the whole hill of Gibraltar is 
honeycombed, and I have little doubt 
that, were it cleft asunder, its interior 
would be found full of such abysses of 
Erebus as those to which Saint Mi- 
chael's cave conducts. Many valuable 
lives are lost every year in these hor- 
rible places ; and only a few weeks 
before my visit, two sergeants, brothers, 
had perished in the gulf on the right 
hand side of the cave, having, when at 
a great depth, slipped down a precipice. 
The body of one of these adventurous 
men is even now rotting in the bowels 
of the mountain, preyed upon by its 
blind and noisome worms ; that of his 
brother was extricated. Immediately 
arter tms norrible accident, a gate was 
placed before the mouth of the cave, to 
prevent individuals, and especially the 
reckless soldiers, from indulging in 
their extravagant curiosity. The lock, 
however, was speedily forced, and at 
the period of my arrival the gate swung 
idly upon its hinges. 

As I left the place, I thought that 
perhaps similar to this was the cave of 
Horeb, where dwelt Elijah, when he 
heard the still small voice, after the 
great and strong wind which rent the 
mountains and brake in pieces the rocks 



308 



THE BIBLE IN SPA IIS'. 



[CHAP. Lin. 



before the Lord; the cave to the en- 
trance 4 pf which he went out and stood 
with his face wrapped in his mantle, 
when he heard the voice say unto him, 
" What doest thou here, Elijah ? " (1 
Kings xix. 11-13.) 

And what am I doing here, I in- 
quired of myself, as, vexed at my deten- 
tion, I descended into the town. 

That afternoon I dined in the com- 
pany of a young American, a native of 
South Carolina. I had frequently seen 
him before, as he had been staying for 
some time at the inn previous to my 
arrival at Gibraltar. His appearance 
was remarkable : he was low of stature, 
and exceedingly slightly made ; his fea- 
tures were pale but very well formed ; 
he had a magnificent head of crispy 
black hair, and as superb a pair of 
whiskers of the same colour as I ever 
beheld. He wore a white hat, with 
broad brim and particularly shallow 
crown, and was dressed in a light 
yellow gingham frock, striped with 
black, and ample trousers of calico : in 
a word, his appearance was altogether 
queer and singular. On my return 
from my ramble to the cave, I found 
that he had himself just descended from 
the mountain, having since a very early 
hour been absent exploring its wonders. 

A man of the rock asked him how 
he liked the excavations. " Liked 
them ?" said he ; " you might just as 
well ask a person who has just seen the 
Niagara Falls how he liked them — like 
is not the word, mister." The heat 
was suffocating, as it almost invariably 
is in the town of Gibraltar, where 
rarely a breath of air is to be felt, as it 
is sheltered from all winds. This led 
another individual to inquire of him 
whether he did not think it exceed- 
ingly hot? "Hot, Sir?" he replied, 
" not at all : fine cotton gathering 
weather as a man could wish for. We 
couldn't beat it in South Carolina, sir." 
" You live in South Carolina, sir — I 
hope, sir, you are not a slave pro- 
prietor," said the short fat Jewish per- 
sonage in the snuff-coloured coat, who 
had offered me the bitters on a previous 
occasion ; " it is a terrible thing to make 
slaves of poor people, simply because 1 
they happen to be black; don't you I 



think so, sir ? " " Think so, sir ?— no, 
sir, I don't think so — I glory in being 
a slave proprietor ; have four hun- 
dred black niggers on my estate — own 
estate, sir, near Charleston — flog half a 
dozen of them before breakfast, merely 
for exercise. Niggers only made to be 
flogged, sir ; try to escape sometimes ; 
set the blood-hounds in their trail, catch 
them in a twinkling : used to hang them- 
selves formerly : the niggers thought 
that a sure way to return to their own 
country and get clear of me : soon put 
a stop to that : told them that if any 
more hanged themselves I'd hang my- 
self too, follow close behind them, and 
flog them in their own country ten 
times worse than in mine. What do 
you think of that, friend?" It was 
easy to perceive that there was more of 
fun than malice in this eccentric little 
fellow, for his large grey eyes were 
sparkling with good humour whilst he 
poured out these wild things. He was 
exceedingly free of his money ; and a 
dirty Irish woman, a soldier's wife, 
having entered with a basketful of 
small boxes and trinkets, made of por- 
tions of the rock of Gibraltar, he pur- 
chased the greatest part of her ware, 
giving her for every article the price 
(by no means inconsiderable) which 
she demanded. He had glanced at me 
several times, and at last I saw him 
stoop down and whisper something to 
the Jew, who replied in an under tone, 
though with considerable earnestness, 
" 0 dear no, sir ; perfectly mistaken, 
sir : is no American, sir : — from Sala- 
manca, sir ; the gentleman is a Sala- 
mancan Spaniard." The waiter at 
length informed us that he had laid 
the table, and that perhaps it would be 
agreeable to us to dine together: we 
instantly assented. I found my new 
acquaintance in many respects a most 
agreeable companion : he soon told me 
his history. He was a planter, and, 
from what he hinted, just come to his 
property. He was part owner of a 
large vessel which traded between 
Charleston and Gibraltar, and the yel- 
low fever having just broken out at 
the former place, he had determined to 
take a trip (his first) to Europe in this 
ship : having, as he said, already visited 



C IAP. LIII.] 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



309 



every state in the Union, and seen all 
that was to be seen there. He described 
to me, in a very naive and original 
manner, his sensations on passing by 
Tarifa, which was the first walled town 
he had ever seen. I related to him the 
history of that place, to which he lis- 
tened with great attention. He made 
divers attempts to learn from me who I 
was ; all of which I evaded, though he 
seemed fully convinced that I was an 
American ; and, amongst other things, 
asked me whether my father had not 
been American consul at Seville. What, 
however, most perplexed him was my 
understanding Moorish and Gaelic, 
which he had heard me speak respec- 
tively to the hamalos and the Irish 
woman, the latter of whom, as he said, 
had told him that I was a fairy man. 
At last he introduced the subject of re- 
ligion, and spoke with much contempt 
of revelation, avowing himself a deist : 
he was evidently very anxious to hear 
my opinion, but here again I evaded 
him, and contented myself with asking 
him whether he had ever read the 
Bible. He said he had not ; but that 
he was well acquainted with the writings 
of Volney and Mirabeau. I made no 
answer; whereupon he added, that it 



was by no means his habit to introduce 
such subjects, and that there were very 
few persons to whom he would speak 
so unreservedly, but that I had very 
much interested him, though our ac- 
quaintance had been short. I replied, 
that he would scarcely have spoken at 
Boston in the manner that I had just 
heard him, and that it was easy to per- 
ceive that he was not a New Englander. 
" I assure you," said he, " I should as 
little have thought of speaking so at 
Charleston, for if I held such conversa- 
tion there, I should soon have had to 
speak to myself." 

Had I known less of deists than it 
has been my fortune to know, I should 
perhaps have endeavoured to convince 
this young man of the erroneousness of 
the ideas which he had adopted ; but I 
was aware of all that he would have 
urged in reply, and, as the believer has 
no carnal arguments to address to carnal 
reason upon this subject, I thought it 
best to avoid disputation, which I felt 
sure would lead to no profitable result. 
Faith is the free gift of God, and I do 
not believe that ever yet was an infidel 
converted by means of after-dinner po- 
lemics. This was the last evening of 
my sojourn in Gibraltar. 



310 



CHAPTER LIV 



Again on Board— The Strange Visage — The Hadji — Setting Sail — The Two Jews — American 



Vessel — Tangier — Adun Oulem- 



The Struggle — The Forbidden Thinj 



On Thursday, the 8th of August, I was 
again on board the Genoese bark, at as 
early an hour as on the previous morn- 
ing. After waiting, however, two or 
three hours without any preparation 
being made for departing, I was about 
to return to the shore once more, but 
the old Genoese mate advised me to 
stay, assuring me that he had no doubt 
of our sailing speedily, as all the cargo 
was on board, and we had nothing 
further to detain us. I was reposing 
myself in the little cabin, when I heard 
a boat strike against the side of the 
vessel, and some people come on board. 
Presently a face peered in at the open- 
ing, strange and wild. I was half 
asleep, and at first imagined I was 
dreaming, for the face seemed more 
like that of a goat or an ogre than of a 
human being ; its long beard almost 
touching my face as I lay extended in 
a kind of berth. Starting up, however, 
I recognised the singular-looking Jew 
whom I had seen in the company of 
Judah Lib. He recognised me also, 
and nodding, bent his huge features 
into a smile. I arose and went upon 
deck, where I found him in company 
with another Jew, a young man in 
the dress of Barbary. They Had just 
arrived in the boat. I asked my friend 
of the beard who he was, from whence 
he came, and where he was going? 
He answered, in broken Portuguese, 
that he was returning from Lisbon, 
where he had been on business, to 
Mogadore, of which place he was a 
native. He then looked me in the face 
and smiled, and taking out a book from 
his pocket, in Hebrew characters, fell 
to reading it; whereupon a Spanish 
sailor on board observed that with such 
a beard and book he must needs be a 
sabio, or sage. His companion was from 
Mequinez, and spoke only Arabic. 



A large boat now drew nigh, the 
stern of which was filled with Moors ; 
there might be about twelve, and the 
greater part evidently consisted of per- 
sons of distinction, as they were dressed 
in all the pomp and gallantry of the 
East, with snow-white turbans, jaba- 
dores of green silk or scarlet cloth, and 
bedeyas rich with gold galloon. Some 
of them were exceedingly fine men, 
and two amongst them, youths, were 
strikingly handsome, and, so far from 
exhibiting the dark swarthy counte- 
nance of Moors in general, their com- 
plexions were of a delicate red and 
white. The principal personage, and 
to whom all the rest paid much defer- 
ence, was a tall athletic man of about 
forty. He wore a vest of white quilted 
cotton, and white kandrisa, whilst grace- 
fully wound round his body, and swath- 
ing the upper part of his head, was the 
haik, or white flannel wrapping plaid, 
always held in so much estimation by 
the Moors from the earliest period of 
their history. His legs were bare, and 
his feet only protected from the ground 
by yellow slippers. He displayed no 
farther ornament than one large gold 
earring, from which depended a pearl, 
evidently of great price. A noble black 
beard, about a foot in length, touched 
his muscular brea st. His features were 
good, with the exception of the eyes, 
which were somewhat small ; their ex- 
pression, however, was evil: their 
glances were sullen; and malignity 
and ill-nature were painted in every 
lineament of his countenance, which 
seemed never to have been brightened 
with a smile. The Spanish sailor, of 
whom I have already had occasion to 
speak, informed me in a whisper, that 
he was a santuron, or big saint, and 
was so far back on his way from Mecca, 
adding, that he was a merchant of im- 



chap, liv.' THE BIBLE 



mense wealth. It soon appeared that 
the other Moors had merely attended 
him on board through friendly polite- 
ness, as they all successively came to 
bid him adieu, with the exception of 
two blacks, who were his attendants. 
I observed that tjiese blacks, when the 
Moors presented them their hands at 
departing, invariably made an effort to 
press them to their lips, which effort 
was as uniformly foiled, the Moors in 
ever}- instance, by a speedy and grace- 
ful movement, drawing back their hand 
locked in that of the black, which they 
pressed against their own heart ; as 
much as to say, " though a negro and 
a slave you are a Moslem, and being so, 
you are our brother — Allah knows no 
distinctions." The boatman now went 
up to the hadji, demanding payment, 
stating, at the same time, that he had 
been on board three times on his account, 
conveying his luggage. The sum which 
he demanded appeared exorbitant to 
the hadji, who, forgetting that he was a 
saint, and fresh from Mecca, fumed out- 
rageously, and in broken Spanish called 
the boatman thief. If there be any 
term of reproach which stings a Spaniard 
(and such was the boatman) more than 
another, it is that one ; and the fellow 
no soon heard it applied to himself, 
than, with eyes sparkling with fury, he 
put his fist to the hadji's nose, and re- 
paid the one opprobrious name by at 
least ten others equally bad or worse. 
He would perhaps have proceeded to 
acts of violence had he not been pulled 
away by the other Moors, who led him 
aside, and I suppose either said or gave 
him something which pacified him, as 
he soon got into his boat, and re- 
turned with them on shore. The cap- 
tain now arrived with his Jewish secre- 
tary, and orders were given for setting 
sail. 

At a little past twelve we were steer- 
ing out of the bay of Gibraltar; the 
wind was in the right quarter, but for 
some time we did not make much pro- 
gress, lying almost becalmed beneath 
the lee of the hill ; by degrees, however, 
our progress became brisker, and in 
about an hour we found ourselves ca- 
reering smartly towards Tarifa. 

The Jew secretary stood at the helm, 



IN SPAIN. 311 



and indeed appeared to be the person 
who commanded the vessel, and who 
issued out all the necessary orders, 
which were executed under the super- 
intendence of the old Genoese mate. I 
now put some questions to the hadji, 
but he looked at me askance with his 
sullen eye, pouted with his lip, and re- 
mained silent; as much as to say, 
" Speak not to me, I am holier than 
thou." I found his negroes, howevei, 
far more conversable. One of them 
was old and ugly, the other about 
twenty, and as well-looking as it is pos- 
sible for a negro to be. His colour was 
perfect ebony, his features exceedingly 
well-formed and delicate, with the ex- 
ception of the lips, which were too full. 
The shape of his eyes was peculiar ; 
they were rather oblong than round, 
like those of an Egyptian figure. Their 
expression was thoughtful and medi- 
tative. In every respect he differed 
from his companion, even in colour, 
(though both were negroes,) and was 
evidently a scion of some little known 
and superior race. As he sat beneath 
the mast gazing at the sea, I thought 
he was misplaced, and that he would 
have appeared to more advantage amidst 
boundless sands, and beneath a date- 
tree, and then he might have well re- 
presented a Jhin. I asked him from 
whence he came ; he replied that he was 
a native of Fez, but that he had never 
known his parents. He had been brought 
up, he added, in the family of his pre- 
sent master, whom he had followed in 
the greater part of his travels, and with 
whom he had thrice visited Mecca. I 
asked Him if he liked being a slave ? 
Whereupon he replied, that he was a 
slave no longer, having been made free 
for some time past 5 on account of his 
faithful services, as had likewise his 
companion. He would have told me 
much more, but the hadji called him 
away, and otherwise employed him, 
probably to prevent his being contami- 
nated by me. 

Thus avoided by the Moslems, I be- 
took myself to the Jews, whom I found 
nowise backward in cultivating an in- 
timacy. The sage of the beard told me 
his history, which in some respects re- 
minded me of that of Judah Lib, as it 



312 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



[chap. liv. 



seemed that, a year or two previous, he 
had quitted Mogadore in pursuit of his 
son, who had betaken himself to Por- 
tugal. On the arrival, however, of the 
father at Lisbon, he discovered that the 
fugitive had, a few days before, shipped 
himself for the Brazils. Unlike Judah 
in quest of his father, he now became 
weary, and discontinued the pursuit. 
The younger Jew from Mequinez was 
exceedingly gay and lively as soon as 
he perceived that I was capable of un- 
derstanding him, and made me smile 
by his humorous account of Christian 
life, as he had observed it at Gibraltar, 
where he had made a stay of about a 
month. He then spoke of Mequinez, 
which, he said, was a Jennut, or Para- 
dise, compared with which Gibraltar 
was a sty of hogs. So great, so uni- 
versal is the love of country. I soon 
saw that both these people believed me 
to be of their own nation : indeed, the 
young one, who was much the most 
familiar, taxed me with being so, and 
spoke of the infamy of denying my own 
blood. Shortly before our arrival off 
Tarifa, universal hunger seemed to pre- 
vail amongst us. The hadji and his 
negroes produced their store, and feasted 
on roast fowls, the Jews ate grapes and 
bread, myself bread and cheese, whilst 
the crew prepared a mess of anchovies. 
Two of them speedily came with a 
large portion, which they presented to 
me with the kindness of brothers : I 
made no hesitation in accepting their 
present, and found the anchovies deli- 
cious. As I sat between the Jews, I 
offered them some, but they turned 
away their heads with disgust, and 
cried haloof (hogsnesh). They at the 
same time, however, shook me by the 
hand, and, uninvited, took a small por- 
tion of my bread. I had a bottle of 
Cognac, which I had brought with me 
lis a preventive to sea-sickness, and I 
presented it to them ; but this they also 
refused, exclaiming, Hardm (it is for- 
bidden^). I said nothing. 

We were now close to the lighthouse 
of Tarifa, and turning the head of the 
bark towards the west, we made di- 
rectly for the coast of Africa. The 
wind was now blowing very fresh, and 
as we had it almost in our poop, we 



sprang along at a tremendous rate, the 
huge latine sails threatening every mo- 
ment to drive us beneath the billows, 
which an adverse tide raised up against 
us. Whilst scudding along in this man- 
ner, we passed close under the stern of 
a large vessel bearing American co- 
lours ; she was tacking up the straits, 
and slowly winning her way against 
the impetuous Levanter. As we passed 
under her, I observed the poop crowded 
with people gazing at us ; indeed, we 
must have offered a singular spectacle 
to those on board, who, like my young 
American friend at Gibraltar, were vi- 
siting the Old World for the first time. 
At the helm stood the Jew ; his whole- 
figure enveloped in a gabardine, . the 
cowl of which, raised above his head, 
gave him almost the appearance of a 
spectre in its shroud ; whilst upon the 
deck, mixed with Europeans in various 
kinds of dresses, all of them picturesque 
with the exception of my own, trod the 
turbaned Moors, the haik of the hadji 
flapping loosely in the wind. The view 
they obtained of us, however, could have 
been but momentary, as we bounded 
past them literally with the speed of 
a racehorse, so that in about an hour's 
time we were not more than a mile's 
distance from the foreland on which 
stands the fortress Alminar, and which 
constitutes the boundary point of the 
bay of Tangier towards the east. There 
the wind dropped and our progress was 
again slow. 

For a considerable time Tangier had 
appeared in sight. Shortly after stand- 
ing away from Tarifa, we had descried 
it in the far distance, when it showed 
like a white dove brooding on its nest. 
The sun was setting behind the town 
when we dropped anchor in its harbour, 
amidst half a dozen barks and felouks 
about the size of our own, the only 
vessels which we saw. There stood 
Tangier before us, and a picturesque 
town it was, occupying the sides and 
top of two hills, one of which, bold and 
bluff, projects into the sea where the 
coast takes a sudden and abrupt turn. 
Frowning and battlemented were its 
walls, either perched on the top of pre- 
cipitous rocks, whose base w r as washed 
by the salt billows, or rising from tha 



CHAP. L1V. I 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



313 



narrow strand which separates the hill 
from the ocean. 

Yonder are two or three tiers of bat- 
teries, displaying heavy guns, which 
command the harbour ; above them you 
see the terraces of the town rising in 
succession like steps for giants. But 
all is white, perfectly white, so that the 
whole seems cut out of an immense 
chalk rock, though true it is that you 
behold here and there tall green trees 
springing up from amidst the white- 
ness : perhaps they belong to Moorish 
gardens, and beneath them even now 
peradventure is reclining many a dark- 
eyed Leila, akin to the houris. Eight 
before you is a high tower or minaret, 
not white but curiously painted, which 
belongs to the principal mosque of Tan- 
gier ; a black banner waves upon it, for 
it is the feast of Ashor. A noble beach 
of white sand fringes the bay from the 
town to the foreland of Alminar. To 
the east rise prodigious hills and moun- 
tains ; they are Gibil Muza and his 
chain ; and yon tall fellow is the peak 
of Tetuan ; the grey mists of evening 
are enveloping their sides. Such ^ as 
Tangier, such its vicinity, as it appeared 
to me whilst gazing from the Genoese 
bark. 

A boat was now lowered from the 
vessel, in which the captain, who was 
charged with the mail from Gibraltar, 
the Jew secretary, and the hadji and 
his attendant negroes departed for the 
shore. I would have gone with them, 
but I was told that I could not land 
that night, as ere my passport and bill 
of health could be examined, the gates 
would be closed ; so I remained on board 
with the crew and the two Jews. The 
former prepared their supper, which 
consisted simply of pickled tomates, the 
other provisions having been consumed. 
The old Genoese brought me a portion, 
apologising at the same time for the 
plainness of the fare. I accepted it 
with thanks, and told him that a 
million better men than myself had a 
worse supper. I never ate with more 
appetite. As the night advanced, the 
Jews sang Hebrew hymns, and when 
they had concluded, demanded of me 
why I was silent, so I lifted up my 
voice and chanted Adun Oulem : — 



" Reigned the universe's Master, ere were 

earthly tilings begun : 
When his mandate all created Ruler was 

the name he won ; 
And alone He '11 rule tremendous when all 

things are past and gone, 
He no equal has, nor consort, He, the sin- 
gular and lone, 
Has no end and no beginning; His the 

sceptre, might and throne. 
He's my God and living Saviour, rock to 

whom in need I run ; 
He 's my banner and my refuge, fount of 

weal when called upon ; 
In His hand I place my spirit at nightfall 

and rise of sun, 
And therewith my body also ; God's my 

God — I fear no one." 

Darkness had now fallen over land 
and sea : not a sound was heard save 
occasionally the distant barking of a 
dog from the shore, or some plaintive 
Genoese ditty, which arose from a 
neighbouring bark. The town seemed 
buried in silence and gloom, no light, 
not even that of a taper, could be des- 
cried. Turning our eyes in the direc- 
tion of Spain, however, we perceived a 
magnificent conflagration, seemingly 
enveloping the side and head of one of 
the lofty mountains northward of Ta- 
rifa; the blaze was redly reflected in 
the waters of the strait; either the 
brushwood was burning or the Carbo- 
neros were plying their dusky toil. 
The Jews now complained of weari- 
ness, and the younger, uncording a 
small mattress, spread it on the deck 
and sought repose. The sage descended 
into the cabin, but he had scarcely time 
to lie down ere the old mate, darting 
forward, dived in after him, and pulled 
him out by the heels, for it was very 
shallow, and the descent was effected 
by not more than two or three steps. 
After accomplishing this, he called him 
many opprobrious names, and threat- 
ened him with his foot, as he lay 
sprawling on the deck. " Think you," 
said he, " who are a dog and a Jew. 
and pay as a dog and a Jew ; think you 
to sleep in the cabin ? Undeceive your- 
self, beast : that cabin shall be slept in 
by none to-night but this Christian Ca- 
valier o." The sage made no reply, but 
arose from the deck and stroked his 
beard, whilst the old Genoese proceeded 
in his Philippic. Had the Jew been 
disposed, he could have strangled the 



314 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



[chap. liv. 



iusulter in a moment, or crushed him 
to death in his brawny arms, as I never 
remember to have seen a figure so pow- 
erful and muscular; but he was evi- 
dently slow to anger, and long-suffer- 
ing ; not a resentful word escaped him, 
and his features retained their usual 
expression of benignant placidity. 

I now assured the mate that I had 
not the slightest objection to the Jew's 
sharing the cabin with me, but rather 
wished it, as there was room for us both 
and for more. " Excuse me, Sir Ca- 
valier," replied the Genoese, " but I 
swear to permit no such thing ; you are 
young, and do not know this canaille as 
I do, who have been backward and for- 
ward to this coast for twenty years ; if 
the beast is cold, let him sleep below 
the hatches as I and the rest shall, but 
that cabin he shall not enter." Observ- 
ing that he was obstinate, I retired, and 
in a few minutes was in a sound sleep, 
which lasted till daybreak. Twice or 
thrice, indeed, I thought that a struggle 
was taking place near me, Cut I was so 
overpowered with weariness, or " sleep 
drunken," as the Germans call it, that 
I was unable to arouse myself suffi- 
ciently to discover what was going on : 
the truth is, that three times during the 
night, the sage feeling himself uncom- 
fortable in the open air by the side of 
his companion, penetrated into the ca- 
bin, and was as many times dragged 
out by his relentless old enemy, who, 
suspecting his intentions, kept his eye 
upon him throughout the night. 

About five I arose: the sun was 
shining brightly and gloriously upon 
town, bay, and mountain; the ?rew 
were already employed upon deck re- 
pairing a sail which had been shivered 
in the wind of the preceding day. The 
Jews sat disconsolate on the poop ; they 
complained much of the cold they had 
suffered in their exposed situation, j 
Over the left eye of the sage I observed ] 
a bloody cut, which he informed me he 
had received from the old Genoese 
after he had dragged him out of the 
cabin for the last time. I now pro- 



duced my bottle of Cognac, begging 
that the crew would partake of it as a 
slight return for their hospitality. They 
thanked me, and the bottle went its 
round ; it was last in the hands of the 
old mate, who, after looking for a mo- 
ment at the sage, raised it to his mouth, 
where he kept it a considerable time 
longer than any of his companions, 
after which he returned it to me with a 
low bow. The sage now inquired what 
the bottle contained : I told him Cognac 
or aguardiente, whereupon with some 
eagerness he begged that I would allow 
him to take a draught. " How is this ?" 
said I ; " yesterday you told me that it 
was a forbidden thing, an abomination." 
" Yesterday," said he, " I was not aware 
that it was brandy ; I thought it wine, 
which assuredly is an abomination, and 
a forbidden thing." "Is it forbidden 
in the Torah?" I inquired. "Is it 
forbidden in the law of God?" "I 
know not," said he, " but one thing I 
know, that the sages have forbidden 
it ?" " Sages like yourself," cried I 
with warmth ; " sages like yourself, 
with long beards and short understand- 
ings : the use of both drinks is per- 
mitted, but more danger lurks in this 
bottle than in a tun of wine. Well said 
my Lord the Nazarene, ' ye strain at a 
gnat, and swallow a camel but as you 
are cold and shivering, take the bottle 
and revive yourself with a small por- 
tion of its contents." He put it to his 
lips and found not a single drop. The 
old Genoese grinned. 

" Bestia," said he : " I saw by your 
looks that you wished to drink of that 
bottle, and I said within me, even 
though I suffocate, yet will I not leave 
one drop of the aguardiente of the 
Christian Cavalier to be wasted on that 
Jew, on whose head may evil light- 
nings fall." 

" Now, Sir Cavalier," he continued, 
" you can go ashore : these two sailors 
shall row you to the Mole, and convey 
your baggage where you think proper ; 
may the Virgin bless you wherever you 
go." 



I 



CHAPTER LV. 



The Mole— The Two Moors — Djmah of Tangier — House of God-— British Consul— Curiour 
Spectacle — The Moorish House — Joanna Correa — Ave Maria. 



So we rowed to the Mole, and landed. 
This Mole consists at present of nothing 
more than an immense number of large 
loose stones, which run about five hun- 
dred yards into the bay ; they are part 
of the ruins of a magnificent pier which 
the English, who were the last foreign 
nation which held Tangier, destroyed 
when they evacuated the place. The 
Moors have never attempted to repair 
it : the surf at high water breaks over 
it with great fury. I found it a diffi- 
cult task to pick my way over the slip- 
pery stones, and should once or twice 
have fallen but for the kindness of the 
Genoese mariners. At last we reached 
the beach, and were proceeding towards 
the gate of the town, when two persons, 
Moors, came up to us. I almost started 
at sight of the first : he was a huge old 
barbarian with a white uncombed beard, 
dirty turban, haik, and trousers, naked 
legs, and immense splay feet, the heels 
of which stood out a couple of inches 
at least behind his rusty black slippers. 

" That is the captain of the port," 
said one of the Genoese ; " pay him 
respect." I accordingly doffed my hat 
and cried, " Sba alkheir a sidi" (Good 
morning, my lord). "Are you Eng- 
lishmans? *' shouted the old grisly 
giant. " Englishmans, my lord," I 
replied, and, advancing, presented him 
my hand, which he nearly wrung off 
with his tremendous gripe. The other 
Moor now addressed me in a jargon 
composed of English, Spanish, and Ara- 
bic. A queer-looking personage was 
he also, but very different in most 
respects from his companion, being 
shorter by a head at least, and less 
complete by one eye, for the left orb 
of vision was closed, leaving him, as 
the Spaniards style it, tuerto ; he, how- 
ever, far outshone the other in cleanli- 
ness of turban, haik, and grousers. 
From what he jabbered to me, I col- 
lected that he was the English consul's 



mahasni or soldier; that the consul, 
being aware of my arrival, had de- 
spatched him to conduct me to his 
house. He then motioned me to follow 
him, which I did, the old port-captain 
attending us to the gate, when he turned 
aside into a building, which I judged 
to be a kind of custom-house from the 
bales and boxes of every description 
piled up before it. We passed the gate 
and proceeded up a steep and winding 
ascent ; on our left was a battery full 
of guns, pointing to the sea, and on our 
right a massive wall, seemingly in part 
cut out of the hill : a little higher up we 
arrived at an opening where stood the 
mosque which I have already mentioned. 
As I gazed upon the tower I said to 
myself, " Surely we have here a younger 
sister of the Giralda of Seville." 

I know not whether the resemblance 
between the two edifices has been ob- 
served by any other individual ; and 
perhaps there are those who would 
assert that no resemblance exists, espe- 
cially if, in forming an opinion, they 
were much swayed by size and colour : 
the hue of the Giralda is red, or rather 
vermilion, whilst that which predomi- 
nates in the Djmah of Tangier is green, 
the bricks of which it is built being of 
that colour ; though between them, at 
certain intervals, are placed others of a 
light red tinge, so that the tower is 
beautifully variegated. With respect 
to size, standing beside the giant witch 
of Seville, the Tangerine Djmah would 
show like a ten-year sapling in the vici- 
nity of the cedar of Lebanon, whose 
trunk the tempests of five hundred years 
have worn. And yet I will assert that 
the towers in other respects are one and 
the same, and that the same mind and 
the same design are manifested in both ; 
the same shape do they exhibit, and the 
same marks have they on their walls, 
even those mysterious arches graven 
on the superfice of the bricks, emblen - 



316 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



{chap. lt. 



atic of I know not what. The two 
structures may, without any violence, 
be said to stand in the same relation to 
each other as the ancient and modern 
Moors. The Giralda is the world's 
wonder, and the old Moor was all but 
the world's conqueror. The modern 
Moor is scarcely known, and who ever 
heard of the tower of Tangier ? Yet 
examine it attentively, and you will 
find in that tower much, very much, to 
admire, and certainly, if opportunity 
enable you to consider the modern 
Moor as minutely, you will discover in 
him, and in his actions, amongst much 
that is wild, uncouth, and barbarous, 
not a little capable of amply rewarding 
laborious investigation. 

As we passed the mosque I stopped 
for a moment before the door, and 
looked in upon the interior : I saw no- 
thing but a quadrangular court paved 
with painted tiles and exposed to the 
sky ; on all sides were arched piazzas, 
and in the middle was a fountain, at 
which several Moors were performing 
their ablutions. I looked around for 
the abominable thing and found it not ; 
the besetting sin of the pseudo-Chris- 
tian church did not stare me in the face 
in every corner. Come here," said I, 
papist, and take a lesson ; here is a 
house of God, in externals at least, such 
as a house of God should be : four 
walls, a fountain, and the eternal fir- 
mament above, which mirrors his glory. 
Dost thou build such houses to the God 
who hast said, ' Thou shalt make to 
thyself no graven image ' ? Fool, thy 
walls are stuck with idols ; thou callest 
a stone thy Father, and a piece of rot- 
ting wood the Queen of Heaven. Fool, 
thou knowest not even the Ancient of 
Days, and the very Moor can instruct 
thee. He at least knows the Ancient 
of Days who has said 4 Thou shalt have 
no other gods but me.' " 

And as I said these words I heard a 
cry like the roaring of a lion, and an 
awful voice in the distance exclaim,"iTa- 
pul Udbagh " (there is no God but one). 

We now turned to the left through a 
passage which passed under the tower, 
and had scarcely proceeded a few steps, 
when I heard a prodigious hubbub of 
infantine voices : I listened for a mo- 



ment, and distinguished verses of the 
Koran; it was a school. Another 
lesson for thee, papist. Thou callest 
thyself a Christian, yet the book of 
Christ thou persecutest ; thou huntest 
it even to the sea-shore, compelling it 
to seek refuge upon the billows of the 
sea, Fool, learn a lesson from the 
Moor, who teaches his child to repeat 
with its first accents the most import- 
ant portions of the book of his law, and 
considers himself wise or foolish, ac- 
cording as he is versed in or ignorant 
of that book ; whilst thou, blind slave, 
knowest not what the book of thy own 
law contains, nor wishest to know : yet 
art thou not to be judged by thy own 
law? Idol -monger, learn consistency 
from the Moor : he says that he shall 
be judged after his own law, and there- 
fore he prizes and gets by heart the 
entire book of his law. 

We were now at the consul's house, 
a large roomy habitation, built in the 
English style. The soldier led me 
through a court into a large hall hung 
with the skins of all kinds of ferocious 
animals, from the kingly lion to the 
snarling jackal. Here I was received 
by a Jew domestic, who conducted me 
at once to the consul, who was in his 
library. He received me with the ut- 
most frankness and genuine kindness, 
and informed me that, having received 
a letter from his excellent friend Mr. B., 
in which I was strongly recommended, 
he had already engaged me a lodging 
in the house of a Spanish woman, who 
was, however, a British subject, and 
with whom he believed that I should 
find myself as comfortable as it was 
possible to be in such a place as Tan- 
gier. He then inquired if I had any 
particular motive for visiting the place, 
and I informed him without hesitation 
that I came with the intention of dis- 
tributing a certain number of copies of 
the New Testament in the Spanish lan- 
guage amongst the Christian residents 
of the place. He smiled, and advised 
me to proceed with considerable caution, 
which I promised to do. We then dis- 
- coursed on other subjects, and it was not 
long befpre I perceived that I *vas in the 
company of a most accomplished scho- 
lar, especially in the Greek and Laths 



chap. lv.J THE BIBLE 

classics ; he appeared likewise to be tho- 
roughly acquainted with the Barbary 
empire and with the Moorish character. 

After half an hour's conversation, 
exceedingly agreeable and instructive 
to myself, I expressed a wish to pro- 
ceed to my lodging: whereupon he 
rang the bell, and, the same Jewish 
domestic entering who had introduced 
me, he said to him in the English lan- 
guage, ; ' Take this gentleman to the 
house of Joanna Correa, the Mahonese 
widow, and enjoin her, in my name, to 
take care of him and attend to his com- 
forts ; by doing which 'she will confirm 
me in the good opinion which I at pre- 
sent entertain of her, and will increase 
my disposition to befriend her." 

So, attended by the Jew, I now bent 
my steps to the lodging prepared for 
me. Having ascended the street in 
which the house of the consul was situ- 
ated, we entered a small square which 
stands about half way up the hill. This, 
my companion informed me, was the 
soc, or market-place. A curious spec- 
tacle here presented itself. All round 
the square were small wooden booths, 
which very much resembled large 
boxes turned on their sides, the lid 
being supported above by a string. 
Before each of these boxes was a species 
of counter, or rather one long counter 
ran in front of the whole line, upon 
which were raisins, dates, and small 
barrels of sugar, soap, and butter, and 
various other articles. Within each 
box, in front of the counter, and about 
three feet from the ground, sat a hu- 
man being, with a blanket on its shoul- 
ders, a dirty turban on its head, and 
ragged trousers, which descended as 
far as the knee, though in some in- 
stances, I believe, these were entirely 
dispensed with. In its hand it held a 
stick, to the end of which was affixed a 
bunch of palm leaves, which it waved in- 
cessantly as a fan, for the purpose of scar- 
ing from its goods the million fiies which, 
engendered by the Barbary sun, endea- 
voured to settle upon them. Behind 
it, and on either side, were piles of the 
same kind of goods. Shrit hinai, shrit hi- 
iiai (buy here, buy here), was continually 
proceeding from its mouth. Such are 
the grocers of Tangier, such their shops. 



IN SPAIN. 31? 



In the middle of the soc, upon the 
stones, were pyramids of melons and 
sandias (the water' species), and also 
baskets filled with other kinds of fruit, 
exposed for sale, whilst round cakes of 
bread were lying here and there upon 
the stones, beside which sat on their 
hams the wildest-looking beings that 
the most extravagant imagination ever 
conceived, the head covered with an 
enormous straw hat, at least two yards 
in circumference, the eaves of which, 
flapping down, completely concealed 
the face, whilst the form was swathed 
in a blanket, from which occasionally 
were thrust skinny arms and fingers. 
These were Moorish women, who were, 
I believe, in all instances, old and ugly, 
judging from the countenances of which 
I caught a glimpse as they lilted 
eaves of their hats to gaze on me as I 
passed, or to curse me for stamping 
on their bread. The whole soc was 
full of people, and there was abundance 
o f bustle, screaming, and vocifera- 
tion, and as the sun, though the hour 
was still early, was shining with the 
greatest brilliancy, I thought that I 
had scarcely ever witnessed a livelier 
scene. 

Crossing the soc, we entered a narrow 
street with the same kind of box-shops 
on each side, some of which, however, 
were either unoccupied or not yet 
opened, the lid being closed. We al- 
most immediately turned to the left, 
up a street somewhat similar, and my 
guide presently entered the door of a 
low house which stood at the corner 
of a little alley, and which he informed 
me was the abode of Joanna Correa. 
We soon stood in the midst of this ha- 
bitation. I say the midst, as all the 
Moorish houses are built with a small 
court in the middle. This one was 
not more than ten feet square. It was 
open at the top, and around it on three 
sides were apartments : on the fourth 
a small staircase, which communicated 
with the upper story, half of which 
consisted of a terrace looking down into 
the court, over the low walls of which 
you enjoyed a prospect of the sea and 
a considerable part of the town. The 
rest of the story was taken up by a long 
room, destined for myself, and which 



sis 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN 



[chap. I.v 



opened upon the terrace by a pair of 
folding-doors. At either end of this 
apartment stood a bed, extending trans- 
versely from wall to wall, the canopy 
touching the ceiling. A table and two 
or three chairs completed the furniture. 

I was so occupied in inspecting the 
house of Joanna Correa, that at first I 
paid little attention to that lady herself. 
She now, however, came up upon the 
terrace where my guide and myself 
were standing. She was a woman 
about five and forty, with regular fea- 
tures, which had once been handsome, 
but had received considerable injury 
from ti 1 " rhaps more from 

trouble. Two of her front teeth had 

: appeared, but she still had fine black 
hair. As I looked upon her counte- 
ssiice, J said within myself, if there 
In physiognomy, thou art good 
and gentle, 0 Joanna; and, indeed, the 
kindness I experienced from her dur- 
the six ^ hich I spent be 
neath her roof would have made me a 
convert to that science had I doubted 
in it before. I believe no warmer and 
more affectionate heart ever beat in 
human bosom than in that of Joanna 
Correa, the Mahonese widow, and it 
was indexed by features beaming with 
benevolence and good nature, though 
somewhat clouded with melancholy. 

She informed me that she had been 
married to a Genoese, the master of a 
felonk which passed between Gibraltar 
and Tangier, who had been dead about 
four years, leaving her with a family 
of four children, the eldest of which 
was a lad of thirteen ; that she had 
experienced great difficulty in provid- 
ing for her family and herself since 
the death of her husband, but that Pro- 
vidence had raised her up a few excel- 
lent friends, especially the British con- 
sul ; that besides letting lodgings to 
such travellers as myself, she made 
bread which was in high esteem with 
the Moors, and that she was likewise 
in partnership in the sale of liquors 
with an old Genoese. She added, that 
this last person lived below in one of 
the apartments ; that he was a man of 
great ability and much learning, but 
that she believed he was occasionally 
somewhat touched here, pointing with 



her 



finger 
therefore 



to her forehead, and she 
hoped that I would not be 
offended at anything extraordinary in 
his language or behaviour. She then 
left me, as she said, to give orders for 
my breakfast; whereupon the Jewish 
domestic, who had accompanied me 
from the consul, finding that I was 
established in the house, departed. 

I speedily sat down to breakfast in 
an apartment on the left side of the 
little wustuddur ; the fare was excel- 
lent : tea, fried fish, eggs, and grapes, 
not forgetting the celebrated bread of 
Joanna Correa. I was waited upon 
by a tall Jewish youth of about twenty 
years, who informed me that his name 
was Haim Ben Atar, that he was a 
native of Fez, from whence his parents 
brought him at a very early age to 
! Tangier, where he had passed the 
greater part of his life principally in 
the service of Joanna Correa, waiting 
upon those who, like myself, lodged 
in the house. I had completed my 
meal, and was seated in the little court, 
when I heard in the apartment oppo- 
site to that in which I had breakfasted 
several sighs, which were succeeded by 
as many groans, and then came " Ave 
Maria, gratia plena, ora pro me," and 
finally a croaking voice chanted : — 

" Gentem auferte perfidam 
Credentium de finibus, 
Ut Christo laudes debitas 
Persolvamus alacriter." 

" That is the old Genoese, 1 ' whispered 
I Haim Ben Atar, " praying to his God, 
I which he always does with particular 
I devotion when he happens to have gone 
i to bed the preceding evening rather in 
liquor. He has in his room a picture 
of Maria Buckra, before which he 
generally burns a taper, and on her 
account he will never permit me to 
enter his apartment. He once caught 
me looking at her, and I thought he 
would have killed me, and since then 
he always keeps his chamber locked, 
and carries the key in his pocket when 
he goes out. He hates both Jew and 
Moor, and says that he is now living 
amongst them for his sins." 

" They do not place tapers before 
pictures," said I, and strolled forth to 



I 1 



see the wonders of the laud. 



319 



CHAPTER LVI. 

The Mahasni — Sin Samani — The Bazaar — Moorish Saints — See the Ayana!— The Prickly Fig 
— Jewish Graves — The Place of Carcases — The Stable Boy — Horses of the Moslem — 
Dvvag. 



I was standing in the market-place, a 
spectator of much the same scene as I 
have already described, when a Moor 
came up to me and attempted to utter a 
few words in Spanish. He was a tall 
elderly man, with sharp but rather 
whimsical features, and might have 
been called good looking, had he not 
been one-eyed, a very common deformity 
in this country. His body was swathed 
in an immense haik. Finding that I 
could understand Moorish, he instantly 
began talking with immense volubility, 
and I soon learnt that he was a Mahasni. 
He expatiated diffusely on the beauties 
of Tangier, of which he said he was a 
native, and at last exclaimed, " Come, 
my sultan, come, my lord, and I will 
show you many things which will 
gladden your eyes, and fill your heart 
with sunshine ; it were a shame in me, 
who have the advantage of being a son 
of Tangier, to permit a stranger, who 
comes from an island in the great sea, 
as you tell me you do, for the purpose 
of seeing this blessed land, to stand here 
in the soc with no one to guide him. 
By Allah, it shall not be so. Make 
room for my sultan, make room for my 
lord, ,, he continued, pushing his way 
through a crowd of men and children 
who had gathered round us ; " it is his 
highness' pleasure to go with me. This 
way, my lord, this way ; " and he led 
the way up the hill, walking at a tre- 
mendous rate and talking still faster. 
" This street," said he, " is the Siarrin, 
and its like is not to be found in Tangier ; 
observe how broad it is, even half the 
breadth of the soc itself ; here are the 
shops of the most considerable mer- 
chants, where are sold precious articles 
of all kinds. Observe those two men, 
they are Algerines and good Moslems ; 
T hey fled from Zair {Algiers) when the 
Nazarenes conquered it, not by force of 



fighting, not by valour, as you may 
well suppose, but by gold ; the Naza- 
renes only conquer by gold. The Moor 
is good, the Moor is strong, who so 
good and strong? but he fights not 
with gold, and therefore he lost Zair. 

" Observe you those men seated on 
the benches by those portals ; they are 
Mahasniah, they are my brethren.' See 
their haiks how white, see their turbans 
how white. O that you could see their 
swords in the day of war, for bright, 
bright are their swords. Now they 
bear no swords. Wherefore should 
they ? is there not peace in the land ? 
See you him in the shop opposite ? 
That is the Pasha of Tangier, that is 
the Hamed Sin Samani, the under Pasha 
of Tangier ; the elder Pasha, my lord, 
is away on a journey ; may Allah send 
him a safe return. Yes, that is Hamed , 
he sits in his hanutz as were he nought 
more than a merchant, yet life and 
death are in his hands. There he dis- 
penses justice, even as he dispenses 
the essence of the rose and cochineal, 
and powder of cannon and sulphur ; 
and these two last he sells on the ac- 
count of Abderrahman, my lord and 
sultan, for none "jan sell powder and 
the sulphur dust in his land but the 
sultan. Should you wish to purchase 
atar del nuar, should you wish to pur- 
chase the essence of the rose, you must 
go to the hanutz of Sin Samani, for 
there only you will get it pure : you 
must receive it from no common Moor, 
but only from Hamed May Allah 
bless Hamed. The Mahasniah, my 
brethren, wait to do his orders, for 
wherever sits the Pasha, there is a hall 
of judgment. See, now we are opposite 
the bazaar; beneath yon gate is the 
court of the bazaar ; what will you not 
" find in that bazaar ? Silks from Fez 
you will find there: and if you wish 



B20 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



[chap. lvi. 



fjr sibat, if you wish for slippers for 
your feet, you must seek them there, 
and there also are sold curious things 
from the towns of the Nazarenes. 
Those large houses on our left are 
habitations of Nazarene consuls; you 
have seen many such in your own land, 
therefore why should you stay to look 
at them? Do you not admire this 
street of the Siarrin ? Whatever enters 
or goes out of Tangier by the land 
passes through this street. Oh, the 
riches that pass through this street! 
Behold those camels, what a long train ; 
twenty, thirty, a whole cafila descend- 
ing the street. Wullah! I know those 
els. J kno^.' the driver. Good day, 
idi Hassim in how many days from 
^ez ? And now we are arrived at the 
wall, and we must pnss under this gate. 
This gate is called. Bab del Faz ; we 
are now in the Soc de Barra." 

The Soc de Barra is an open place 
beyond the upper wall of Tangier, on 
the side of the hill. The ground is 
irregular and steep ; there are, how- 
ever, some tolerably level spots. In 
this place, every Thursday and Sunday 
morning, a species of mart is held, on 
which account it is called Soc de Barra, 
or the outward market-place. Here and 
there, near the town ditch, are sub- 
terranean pits, with small orifices, about 
the circumference of a chimney, which 
are generally covered w ith a large stone, 
or stuffed with straw. These pits are 
granaries, in which wheat, barley, and 
other species of grain intended for sale 
are stored. On one side are two or 
three rude huts, or rather sheds, be- 
neath which keep watch the guardians 
of the com. It is very dangerous to 
pass over this hill at night, after the 
town gates are closed, as at that time 
numerous large and ferocious dogs are 
let loose, who would to a certainty pull 
down, and perhaps destroy, any stranger 
who should draw nigh. Half way up 
the hill are seen four white walls, in- 
closing a spot about ten feet square, 
where rest the bones of Sidi Mokhfidh, 
a saint of celebrity, who died some fif- 
teen years ago. Here terminates the 
soc ; the remainder of the hill is called 
El Kawar, or the place of graves, being 
the common burying ground of Tan- 



gier ; the resting-places of the dead are 
severally distinguished by a few stones 
arranged so as to form an oblona- circle. 
Near Mokhfidh sleeps Sidi Gali: but 
the principal saint of Tangier lies in- 
terred on the top of the hill, in the 
centre of a small plain. A beautiful 
chapel or mosque, with vaulted roof, is 
erected there in his honour, which is 
in general adorned with banners of 
various dyes. The name of this saint 
is Mohammed el Hadge, and his me- 
mory is held in the utmost veneration, 
in Tangier and its vicinity. His death 
occurred at the commencement of the 
present century. 

These details I either gathered at the 
time or on subsequent occasions. On 
the north side of the soc, close by the 
town, is a wall with a gate. " Come," 
said the old Mahasni, giving a flourish 
with his hand ; " Come, and I will 
show you the garden of a Nazarene 
consul," I followed him through the 
gate, and found myself in a spacious 
garden laid out in the European taote, 
and planted with lemon and pear trees, 
and various kinds of aromatic shrubs. 
It was, however, evident that the owner 
chiefly prided himself on his flowers, 
of which there were numerous beds. 
There was a handsome summer-house, 
and art seemed to have exhausted itself 
in making the place complete. 

One thing was wanting, and its ab- 
sence was strangely remarkable in a 
garden at this time of the year ; scarcely 
a leaf was to be seen. The direst of 
all the plagues which devastated Egypt 
was now busy in this part of Africa — 
the locust was at work, and in no place 
more fiercely than in the particular 
spot where I was now standing. All 
around looked blasted. The trees were 
brown and bald as in winter. Nothing 
green save the fruits, especially the 
grapes, huge clusters of which were 
depending from the " parras ; " for the 
locust touches not the fruit whilst a 
single leaf remains to be devoured. As 
we passed along the walks these horrible 
insects flew against us in every direc- 
tion, and perished by hundreds beneath 
our feet. " See the ayanas," said the 
old Mahasni, " and hear them eating. 
Powerful is the ayana, more powerful 

I 



CHAP. LVI.] 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



321 



than the sultan or the consul. Should 
the sultan send all his Mahasniah against 
the ayana, should he send me with 
them, the ayana would say, ' Ha ! ha ! ' 
Powerful is the ayana ! He fears not 
the consul. A few weeks ago the con- 
sul said, * I am stronger than the ayana, 
and I will extirpate him from the land.' 
So he shouted through the city, ' O 
Tangerines ! speed forth to fight the 
ayana, — destroy him in the egg ; for 
know that whosoever shall bring me 
one pound weight of the eggs of the 
ayana, unto him will I give five reals 
of Spain ; there shall be no ayanas this 
year.' So all Tangier rushed forth to 
fight the ayana, and to collect the eggs 
which the ayana had laid to hatch 
beneath the sand on the sides of the 
hills, and in the roads, and in the plains. 
And my own child, who is seven years 
old, went forth to fight the ayana, and 
he alone collected eggs to the weight of 
five pounds, eggs which the ayana had 
placed beneath the sand, and he carried 
them to the consul, and the consul paid 
the price. And hundreds carried eggs 
to the consul, more or less, and the 
consul paid fhem the price, and in less 
than three days the treasure chest of the 
consul was exhausted. And then he 
cried, 4 Desist, O Tangerines ! perhaps 
we have destroyed the ayana, perhaps 
we have destroyed them all.' Ha ! ha ! 
Look around you, and beneath you, 
and above you, and tell me whether 
the consul has destroyed the ayana. 
Oh, powerful is the ayana ! More 
powerful than the consul, more power- 
ful than the sultan and all his armies." 

It will be as well to observe here, 
that within a week from this time all 
the locusts had disappeared, no one 
knew how, only a few stragglers re- 
mained. But for this providential de- 
liverance, the fields and gardens in the 
vicinity of Tangier would have been 
totally devastated. These insects were of 
an immense size, and of a loathly aspect. 

We now passed over the soc to the 
opposite side, where stand the huts ot 
the guardians. Here a species of lane 
presents itself, which descends to the 
sea-shore ; it is deep and precipitous, 
and resembles a gully or ravine. The 
hanks on either side are covered with 



the tree which bears the prickly fig, 
called in Moorish, Kermous del Inde. 
There is something wild and grotesque 
in the appearance of this tree or plant, 
for I know not which to call it. Its 
stem, though frequently of the thickness 
of a man's body, has no head, but divides 
itself, at^ a short distance from the 
ground, into many crooked branches, 
which shoot in all directions, and bear- 
green and uncouth leaves, about hal~ 
an inch in thickness, and which, if they 
resemble any thing, present the appear- 
ance of the fore fins of a seal, and con- 
sist of multitudinous fibres. The fruit, 
which somewhat resembles a pear, has 
a rough tegument covered with minute 
prickles, which instantly enter the hand 
which touches them, however slightly, 
and are very difficult to extract. I 
never remember to have seen vegeta- 
tion in ranker luxuriance than that 
which these fig-trees exhibited, nor 
upon the whole a more singular spot. 
" Follow me," said the Mahasni, " and 
I will show you something which you 
will like to see." So he turned to the 
left, leading the way by a narrow path 
up the steep bank, till we reached the 
summit of a hillock, separated by a 
deep ditch from the wall of Tangier. 
The ground was thickly covered with 
the trees already desciibed, which 
spread their strange arms along the 
surface, and whose thick leaves crushed 
beneath our feet as we walked along. 
Amongst them I observed a large num- 
ber of stone slabs lying horizontally ; 
they were rudely scrawled over with 
odd characters, which I stooped down 
to inspect. " Are you Talib enough to 
read those signs ? " exclaimed the old 
Moor. " They are letters of the ac- 
cursed Jews ; this is their mearrah, as 
they call it, and here they inter their 
dead. Fools, they trust in Muza, when 
they might believe in Mohammed, and 
therefore their dead shall burn ever- 
lastingly in Jehinnim. See, my sultan, 
how fat is the soil of this mearrah of 
the Jews ; see what kermous grow 
here. When I was a boy I often carr^. 
to the mearrah of the Jews to eat ker- 
mous in the season of their ripeness. 
The Moslem boys of Tangier lo^e he 
kermous of the mearrah of the Je a s ; 

Y 2 



322 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



[chap, lvi 



but the Jews will not gather them. 
They say that the waters of the springs 
which nourish the roots of these trees 
pass among the bodies of their dead, 
and for that reason it is an abomination 
to taste of these fruits. Be this true, 
or be it not, one thing is certain, in 
whatever manner nourished, good are 
the kermous which grow in the mearrah 
Df the Jews." 

We returned to the lane by the same 
path by which we had come : as we 
were descending it he said, " Know, mv 
sultan, that the name of the place where 
we now are, and which you say you 
like much, is Dar Sirah {the house of 
the trades). Y6\ - ill ask me why it 
bears- that name, zr you see neither 
house nor man. neftkuf Moslem, Naza- 
rone, nor Jew, only cur two selves ; I 
will tell you, my sultan, for who can 
tell you better than myself? Learn, I 
pray you, that Tangier was not always 
t it is new, nor d d it occupy always 
oh-" i which it dors now. It stood 
yonder (pointing to the east) on those 
hills above the shore, and ruins of 
houses are still to be seen there, and 
the spot is called Old Tangier. So in 
the old time, as I have heard say, this 
Dar Sinah was a street, whether with- 
out or within the wall matters not, and 
there resided men of all trades ; smiths 
of gold, and silver, and iron, and tin, 
and artificers of all kinds : you had only 
to go to the Dar Sinah if you wished 
for any thing wrought, and there in- 
stantly you would find a master of the 
particular craft. My sultan tells me 
he likes the look of Dar Sinah at the 
present day; truly I know not why, 
especially as the kermous are not yet in 
their ripeness, nor fit to eat. If he 
likes Dar Sinah now, how would my 
sultan have liked it in the old time, 
when it was filled with gold and silver, 
and iron and tin, and was noisy with 
the hammers, and the masters and the 
cunning men ? We are now arrived at 
the Chali del Bahar {seashore). Take 
care, my sultan, we tread upon bones/' 

We had emerged from the Dar Sinah, 
and the sea-shore was before us ; on a 
sudden we found ourselves amongst a ' 
multitude of bones of all kinds of ani- 
mals, and seemingly of all dates ; some 



being blanched with time and exposure 
to sun and wind, whilst to others the 
flesh still partly clung ; whole carcases 
were here, horses, asses, and even the 
uncouth remains of a camel. Gaunt 
dogs were busy here, growling, tearing, 
and gnawing ; amongst whom, unintimi- 
dated, stalked the carrion vulture, 
fiercely battening and even disputing 
with the brutes the garbage : whilst the 
crow hovered overhead, and croaked 
wistfully, or occasionally perched upon 
some upturned rib bone. " See," said 
the Mahasni, "the kawar of the ani- 
mals. My sultan has seen the kawar 
of the Moslems and the mearrah of the 
Jews ; and he sees here the kawar of 
the animals. All the animals which 
die in Tangier by the hand of God, 
horse, dog, or camel, are brought to 
this spot, and here they putrefy or are 
devoured by the birds of the heaven or 
the wild creatures that prowl on the 
chali. Come, my sultan, it is not good 
to remain long in this place." 

We were preparing to leave the spot, 
when we heard a galloping down the 
Dar Sinah, and presently a horse and 
rider darted at full speed from the 
mouth of the lane and appeared upon 
the strand : the horseman, when he saw 
us, pulled up his steed with much diffi- 
culty, and joined us. The horse was 
small but beautiful, a sorrel with long 
main and tail ; had he been hoodwinked 
he might perhaps have been mistaken 
for a Cordovese jaca; he was broad- 
chested, and rotund in his hind quar- 
ters, and possessed much of the plump- 
ness and sleekness which distinguish 
that breed, but looking in his eyes you 
would have been undeceived in a mo- 
ment ; a wild savage fire darted from 
the restless orbs, and so far from exhi- 
biting the docility of the other noble and 
loyal animal, he occasionally plunged 
desperately, and could scarcely-be re- 
strained by a strong curb and powerful 
arm from resuming his former head- 
long course. The rider was a youth, 
apparently about eighteen, dressed as p. 
European, with a Mcntero cap on his 
head: he was athletically built, but 
with lengthy limbs, his feet, for he rode 
without stirrups or saddle, reaching 
almost to the ground ; hio complexion 



CHAP. LYI.] 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



323 



was almost as dark as that of a Mu- 
latto ; his features very handsome, the 
eyes particularly so, but filled with an 
expression which was bold and bad; 
and there was a disgusting look of sen- 
suality about the mouth. He addressed 
a few words to the Mahasni, with whom 
he seemed to be well acquainted, in- 
quiring who I was. The old man an- 
swered, " O Jew, my sultan understands 
our speech, thou hadst better address 
thyself to him." The lad then spoke 
to me in Arabic, but almost instantly 
dropping that language, proceeded to 
discourse in tolerable French. " I sup- 
pose you are French," said he with 
much familiarity ; " shall you stay long 
in Tangier ?" Having received an an- 
swer, he proceeded, "as you are an 
Englishman, you are doubtless fond of 
horses ; know, therefore, whenever you 
are disposed for a ride, I will accom- 
pany you, and procure you horses. My 
name is Ephraim Fragey : I am stable- 
boy to the Neapolitan consul, who prizes 
himself upon possessing the best horses 
in Tangier ; you shall mount any you 
please. Would you like to try this 
little aoud {stallion) ?" I thanked him, 
but declined his offer for the present, 
asking him at the same time how he 
had acquired the French language, and 
why he, a Jew, did not appear in the 
dress of his brethren ? "I am in the 
service of a consul," said he, " and my 
master obtained permission that I might 
dress myself in this manner ; and as to 
speaking French, I have been to Mar- 
seilles and Naples, to which last place 
I conveyed horses, presents from the 
sultan. Besides French, I can speak 
Italian." He then dismounted, and 
holding the horse firmly by the bridle 
with one hand, proceeded to undress 
himself, which having accomplished, 
he mounted the animal and rode into 
the water. The skin of his body was 
much akin in colour to that of a frog 
or toad, but the frame was that of a 
young Titan. The horse took to the 
water with great unwillingness, and at 
a small distance from the shore com- 
menced struggling with his rider, whom 
he twice dashed from his back ; the lad, 
however, clung to the bridle, and de- 
tained the animal. All his efforts how- 



ever, being unavailing to ride him 
deeper in, he fell to washing him stre- 
nuously with his hands, then leading 
him out, he dressed himself and re- 
turned by the way he came. 

" Good are the horses of the Mos- 
lems," said my old friend, " where will 
you find such? They will descend 
rocky mountains at full speed and nei- 
ther trip nor fall ; but you must be cau- 
tious with the horses of the Moslems, 
and treat them with kindness, for the 
horses of the Moslems are proud, and 
they lik*» not being slaves. When they 
are young and first mounted, jerk not 
their mouths with your bit, for be sure 
if you do they will kill you; sooner or 
later, you will >emh beneath their 
feet. Good are nr horses, and good 
our riders, yea, very good are the Mos 
lems at mounting the horse • who are 
like them ? I once sa ] t ri 
compete with a Moslen 
and at first the Frank rider imu. it all 
his own way, and he passed + he Mos- 
lem, but the course was long, very long, 
and the horse of the Frank*rider, which 
was a Frank also, panted ; but the horse 
of the Moslem panted not, for he was a 
Moslem also, and the Moslem rider at 
last gave a cry and the horse sprang 
forward and he overtook the Frank 
horse, and then the Moslem rider stood 
up in his saddle. How did he stand ? 
Truly he stood on his head, and these 
eyes saw him ; he stood on his head in 
the saddle as he passed the Frank rider ; 
and he cried ha ! ha ! as he passed the 
Frank rider; and the Moslem horse 
cried ha ! ha ! as he passed the Frank 
breed, and the Frank lost by a far dis- 
tance. Good are the Franks ; good their 
horses ; but better are the Moslems, and 
better the horses of the Moslems." 

We now directed our steps towards 
the town, but not by the path we came : 
turning to the left under the hill of the 
mearrah, and along the strand, we soon 
came to a rudely-paved way with a 
steep ascent, which wound beneath the 
wall of the town to a gate, before which, 
on one side, were various little pits 
like graves, filled with water or lime. 
" This is Dar Dwag," said the Ma- 
hasni ; " this is the house of the bark, 
and to this house are brought the hides ; 



324 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN, 



[chap. lvi. 



all those which are prepared for use in 
Tangier are brought to this house, and 
here they are cured with lime, and 
bran, and bark, and herbs. And in this 
Dar Dwag there are one hundred and 
forty pits ; I have counted them myself ; 
and there were more which have now 
ceased to be, for the place is very an- 
cient. And these pits are hired not by 
one, nor by two, but by many people, 
and whosoever list can rent one of these 
pits and cure the hides which he may 
need ; but the owner of all is one man, 
and his name is Cado Ableque. And 
now my sultan has seen the house of 
the bark, and I will shew him nothing 
more this day ; for to-day is Youm al 
Jumal {Friday}, and the gates will be 
presently shut whilst the Moslems per- 
form th^ir devotions. So I will accom- 
pany my sultan to the guest house, and 
there I will leave him for the present." 

We accordingly passed through a 
gate, and ascending a street touna our- 
selves before the mosque where I had 
stood in the morning ; in another mi- 



nute or two we were at the door of Jo- 
anna Correa. 1 now offered my kind 
guide a piece of silver as a remunera- 
tion for his trouble, whereupon he drew 
himself up and said : — 

" The silver of my sultan I will not 
take, for I consider that I have done 
nothing to deserve it. We have not 
yet visited all the wonderful things of 
this blessed town. On a future day I 
will conduct my sultan to the castle of 
the governor, and to uther places which 
my sultan will be glad to see ; and when 
we have seen all we can, and my sultan 
is content with me, if at any time he see 
me in the soc of a morning, with my 
basket in my hand, and he see nothing 
in that basket, then is my sultan at 
liberty as a friend to put grapes in my 
basket, or bread in my basket, or fish 
or meat in my basket. That will I not 
refuse of my sultan, when I shall have 
done more for him than I have now. 
But the silver of my sultan will I not 
take now nor at any time." He then 
waved his hand gently, and departed. 



CHAPTER LVII. 



Strange Trio— The Mulatto— The Peace-offering— Moors of Granada— Vive la Guadeloupe- 

The Moors— rascual Fava — Blind Aljrerine — The Retreat. 



Three men were seated in the wustud- 
dur of Joanna Correa, when I entered ; 
singular-looking men they all were, 
though perhaps three were never ga- 
thered together more unlike to each 
other in all points. The first on whom 
I cast my eye was a man about sixty, 
dressed in a grey kerseymere coat with 
short lappets, yellow waistcoat, and 
wide coarse canvass trousers ; upon his 
head was a very broad dirty straw hat, 
and in his hand he held a thick cane 
with ivory handle ; his eyes were bleared 
and squinting, his face rubicund, and 
his nose much carbuncled. Beside 
him sat a good-looking black, who 
perhaps appeared more negro than he 
really was, from the circumstance of 
his being dressed in spotless white 
jean — jerkin waistcoat, and pantaloons 
being all of that material : his head gear 
consisted of a blue Montero cap. His 



eyes sparkled like diamonds, and there 
was an indescribable expression of good 
humour and fun upon his countenance. 
The third man was a Mulatto, and by 
far the most remarkable personage of 
the group : he might be between thirty 
and forty ; his body was very long, and, 
though uncouthly put together, exhi- 
bited every mark of strength and 
vigour ; it was cased in a ferioui of red 
wool, a kind of garment which descends 
below the hips. His long muscular 
and hairy arms were naked from the 
elbow, where the sleeves of the ferioui 
terminate ; his under limbs were short 
in comparison with his body and arms ; 
his legs were bare, but he were blue 
kandrisa as far as the knee ; every fea- 
ture of his face was ugly, exceedingly 
and bitterly ugly, and one of his eyes 
was sightless, being covered with a 
white film. By his side on the ground 



THAP. LVII. 1 



THE BIBLE 



IN SPAIN. 



32" 



was a large barrel, seemingly a water- 
cask, which he occasionally seized with 
a finger and thumb, and waved over 
his head as if it had been a quart pot. 
Such was the trio who now occupied 
the wustuddur of Joanna Correa : and 
I had scarcely time to remark what I 
have just recorded, when that good lady 
entered from a back court with her 
handmaid Johar, or the pearl, an ugly 
fat Jewish girl with an immense mole 
on her cheek. 

" Que Dios remate tu nombre," ex- 
claimed the Mulatto ; " may Allah blot 
out your name, Joanna, and may he 
likewise blot out that of your maid 
Johar. It is more than fifteen minutes 
that I have been seated here, after 
having poured out into the tinaja the 
water which I brought from the foun- 
tain, and during all that time I have 
waited in vain for one single word of 
civility from yourself or from Johar. 
Usted no tiene modo, you have no man- 
ner with you, nor more has Johar. 
This is the only house in Tangier 
where I am not received with fitting 
love and respect, and yet I have done 
more for you than for any other per- 
son. Have I not filled your tinaja with 
water when other people have gone 
without a drop ? When even the con- 
sul and the interpreter of the consul had 
no water to slake their thirst, have you 
not had enough to wash your wustud- 
dur ? And what is my return ? When 
I arrive in the heat of the day, I have 
not one kind word spoken to me, nor so 
much as a glass of makhiah offered to 
me ; must I tell you all that I do for 
you, Joanna ? Truly I must, for you 
have no manner with you. Do I not 
come every morning just at the third 
hour ; and do I not knock at your 
door ; and do you not arise and let me 
in, and then do I not knead your bread 
in your presence, whilst you lie in bed, 
and because I knead it is not yours the 
best bread in Tangier ? For am I not 
the strongest man in Tangier, and the 
most noble also ? " Here he brandished 
his barrel over his head, and his face 
looked almost demoniacal. " Hear me, 
Joanna," he continued, " you know 
that I am the strongest man in Tangier, 
and I tell you again for the thousandth 



time, that I am the most noble. Who 
are the consuls? Who is the Pasha? 
They are pashas and consuls now, bu 4 
who were their fathers ? I know not, 
nor do they. But do I not know who 
my fathers were ? Were they not Moors 
of Garnata ( Granada), and is it not on 
that account that I am the strongest 
man in Tangier ? Yes, I am of the old 
Moors of Garnata, and my family has 
lived here, as is well known, since 
Garnata was lost to the Nazarenes, and 
now I am the only one of my family of 
the blood of the old Moors in all this 
land, and on that account I am of 
nobler blood than the sultan, for the 
sultan is not of the blood of the Moors 
of Garnata. Do you laugh, Joanna ? 
Does your maid Johar laugh ? Am I 
not Hammin Widdir, el honthre mas 
valido de Tanger ? And is it not true 
that I am of the blood of the Moors of 
Garnata ? Deny it, and I will kill vou 
both, you and your maid Johar." 

" You have been eating hsheesh and 
majoon, Hammin," said Joanna Correa, 
" and the Shaitan has entered into you, 
as he but too frequently does. I have 
been busy, and so has Johar, or we 
should have spoken to you before ; 
however, mai doorshee (it does not signi- 
fy), I know how to pacify you now and 
at all times ; will you take some gin-bit- 
ters, or a glass of common makhiah ? " 

" May you burst, O Joanna," said 
the Mulatto, " and may Johar also 
burst ; I mean, may you both live many 
years, and know neither pain nor sor- 
row. I will take the gin-bitters, O 
Joanna, because they are stronger than 
the makhiah, which always appears to 
me like water; and I like not water, 
though I carry it. Many thanks to 
you, Joanna; here is health to you 
Joanna, and to this good company." 

She had handed him a large tumbler 
filled to the brim; he put it to his 
nostrils, snuffed in the flavour, and then 
applying it to his mouth, removed it 
not whilst one drop of the fluid re- 
mained. His features gradually relaxed 
from their former angry expression, 
and looking particularly amiable at 
Joanna, he at last said : 

" I hope that within a little time, 0 
Joanna, you will be persuaded that T 



326 



THE BIBLE IX SPAIN. 



[chap. Lvir 



am the strongest man in Tangier, and 
that I am sprung from the blood of the 
Moors of Garnata, as then you will no 
longer refuse to take me for a husband, 
you and your maid Johar, and to be- 
come Moors. What a glory to you, 
after having been married to a Genoui, 
and given birth to Genouiilos, to re- 
ceive for husband a Moor like me, and 
to bear him children of the blood of 
Garnata. What a glory too for Johar, 
how much better than to marry a vile 
Jew, even like Hayim Ben Atar, or 
your cook Sabia, both of whom I could 
strangle with two fingers, for am I not 
Hammin Widdir Moro de Garnata, el 
hombre mas valido de Tanger ? " He 
then shouldered his barrel and departed. 

" Is that Mulatto really what he 
pretends to be ? " said I to Joanna ; 
"is he a descendant of the Moors of j 
Granada?" 

" He always talks about the Moors I 
of Granada when he is mad with ma- | 
joon or aguardiente," interrupted, in 
bad French, the old man whom I have 
before described, and in the same croak- 
ing voice which I had heard chanting 
in the morning. " Nevertheless it may 
be true, and if he had not heard some- 
thing of the kind from his parents, he 
would never have imagined such a 
thing, for he is too stupid. As I said 
before, it is by no means impossible : 
many of the families of Granada settled 
down here when their town was taken 
by the Christians, but the greater part 
went to Tunis. When I was there, I 
lodged in the house of a Moor who 
called himself Zegri, and was always 
talking of Granada and the things 
which his forefathers had done there. 
He would moreover sit for hours sing- 
ing romances of which I understood 
not one word, praised be the Mother of 
God, but which he said all related to 
his family; there were hundreds of 
that name in Tunis, therefore why 
should not this Hammin, this drunken 
water-carrier, be a Moor of Granada 
also? He is ugly enough to be em- 
peror of al 1 the Moors. O, the accursed 
canaille ! I have lived amongst them for 
my sins these eight years, at Oran and" 
here. Monsieur, do you not consider 
it to be a hard case for an old man like 



myself, who am a Christian, to live 
amongst a race who know not God, nor 
Christ, nor any thing holy ? " 

" What do you mean," said I, " by 
asserting that the Moors know not 
\ God ? There is no people in the world 
who entertain sublimer notions of the 
uncreated eternal God than the Moors, 
and no people have ever shown them- 
selves more zealous for his honour and 
glory : their very zeal for the glory of 
God has been and is the chief obstacle 
to their becoming Christians. They 
are afraid of compromising his dignity 
by supposing that he ever condescended 
to become man. And with respect to 
Christ, their ideas even of him are 
much more just than those of the Pa- 
pists ; they say he is a mighty prophet, 
whilst, according to the others, he is 
either a piece of bread, or a helpless 
infant. In many points of religion the 
Moors are wrong, dreadfully wrong, 
but are the Papists less so ? And one 
of their practices sets them immeasur- 
ably below the Moors in the eyes of 
any unprejudiced person: they bow 
down to idols, Christian idols if you 
like, but idols still, things graven of 
wood, and stone, and brass, and from 
these things, which can neither hear, 
nor speak, nor feel, they ask and ex- 
pect to obtain favours." 

" Vive la France, Vive la Guade- 
loupe!" said the black, with a good 
French accent. " In France and in 
Guadeloupe there is no superstition, and 
they pay as much regard to the Bible 
as to the Koran ; I am now learning to 
read, in order that I may understand the 
writings of Voltaire, who, as I am told, 
has proved that both the one and the 
other were written with the sole inten- 
tion of deceiving mankind. O, vive la 
France ! where will you find such an 
enlightened country as France ; and 
where will you find such a plentiful 
country as France ? Only one in the 
world, and that is Guadeloupe. Is it 
not so, Monsieur Pascual ? Were you 
ever at Marseilles ? Ah quel boa pays 
est celui-la pour les vivres, pmir les 
petits poulets, pour lespoulardes, pour les 
perdrix, pour les perdreaux, pour les 
alouettes, pour les becasses, pour les 6e- 
cassiiies. enfin, pour tout" 



CHAP. LVII.] 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



327 



" Pray sir, are you a cook ? " de- 
manded I. 

" Monsieur, je le suis pour vous rendre 
service, mon nom c 'est Gerard, et fai 
Vhonneur d'etre chef de cuisine chez mon- 
sieur le consul Hollandois. A present 
je prie permission de vous salner ; il faut 
que faille a la maison pour faire le diner 
de mon maitre" 

At four I went to dine with the Bri- 
tish consul. Two other English gen- 
tlemen were present, who had arrived 
at Tangier from Gibraltar about ten 
days previously for a short excursion, 
and were now detained longer than they 
wished by the Levant wind. They had 
already visited the principal towns in 
Spain, and proposed spending the win- 
ter either at Cadiz or Seville. One of 
them, Mr. * * * *, struck me as being 
one of the most remarkable men I had 
ever conversed with ; he travelled not 
for diversion nor instigated by curiosity, 
but merely with the hope of doing spi- 
ritual good,* chiefly by conversation. 
The consul soon asked me what I 
thought of the Moors and their country ; 
I told him that what I had hitherto seen 
of both highly pleased me. He said 
that were I to live amongst them ten 
years, as he had done, he believed I 
should entertain a very different opi- 
nion ; that no people in the world were 
more false and cruel ; that their govern- 
ment was one of the vilest description, 
with which it was next to an impossi- 
bility for any foreign power to hold 
amicable relations, as it invariably 
acted with bad faith, and set at nought 
the most solemn treaties. That British 
property and interests were every day 
subjected to ruin and spoliation, and 
British subjects exposed to unheard-of 
vexations, without the slightest hope of 
redress being afforded, save recourse 
was had to force, the only argument to 
which the Moors were accessible. He 
added, that towards the end of the pre- 
ceding year an atrocious murder had 
been perpetrated in Tangier : a Genoese 
family of three individuals had pe- 
rished, all of whom were British sub- 
jects, and entitled to the protection of 
the British flag. The murderers were 
known, and the principal one was even 
now in prison for the fact, yet all at- 



tempts to bring him to condign punish- 
ment had hitherto proved abortive, as 
he was a Moor, and his victims Chris- 
tians. Finally, he cautioned me not to 
take walks beyond the wall unaccom- 
panied by a soldier, whom he offered 
to provide for me should I desire it, as 
otherwise I incurred great risk of being 
ill treated by the Moors of the interior, 
whom I might meet, or perhaps mur- 
dered ; and he instanced the case of a 
British officer who not long since had 
been murdered on the beach for no 
other reason than being a Nazarene, 
and appearing in a Nazarene dress. He 
at length introduced the subject of the 
Gospel, and I was pleased to learn that 
during his residence in Tangier, he had 
distributed a considerable quantity of 
Bibles amongst the natives in the Ara- 
bic language, ai d that many of 
learned men, or Talibs, had read the 
holy volume with great interest, and 
that by this distribution, which, it is 
true, was effected with much caution, 
no angry or unpleasant feeling had been 
excited. He finally asked whether I 
had come with the intention of circu- 
lating the Scripture amongst the Moors. 

I replied that I had no opportunity 
of doing so, as I had not one single 
copy either in the Arabic language or 
character. That the few Testaments 
which were in my possession were in 
the Spanish language, and were in- 
tended for circulation amongst the 
Christians of Tangier, to whom they 
might be serviceable, as they all under- 
stood the language. 

It was night, and I was seated in the 
wustuddur of Joanna Correa, in com- 
pany with Pascual Fava, the Genoese. 
The old man's favourite subject of dis- 
course appeared to be religion, and he 
professed unbounded love for the Sa- 
viour, and the deepest sense of grati- 
tude for his miraculous atonement for 
the sins of mankind. I should have 
listened to him with pleasure had he 
not smelt very strongly of liquor, and 
by certain incoherences of language and 
wildness of manner given indications of 
being in some degree the worse for it. 
Suddenly two figures appeared beneath 
the doorway ; one was that of a bare- 
headed and bare-legged Moorish boy of 

z 



328 



THE BIBLE IN SPAIN. 



[CHAP. LVll 



about ten years of age, dressed in a 
gelaba ; he guided by the hand an old 
man, whom I at once recognised as one 
of the Algerines, the good Moslems of 
whom the old Mahasni had spoken in 
terms of praise in the morning whilst 
we ascended the street of the Siarrin. 
He was very short of stature and dirty 
in his dress ; the lower part of his face 
was covered with a stubbly white 
beard ; before his eyes he wore a large 
pair of spectacles, from which he evi- 
dently received but little benefit, as he 
required the assistance of the guide at 
every step. The two advanced a little 
way into the wustuddur, and there stop- 
ped. Pascual Fava no sooner beheld 
them, than assuming a jovial air he 
started nimbly up, and leaning on his 
stick, for he had a bent leg, limped to a 
cupboard, out of which he took a bottle 
and poured out a glass of wine, singing 
in the broken kind of Spanish used by 
the Moors of the coast : 

" Argelino, (Algerine, 

Moro fino, Moor so keen, 

No beber vino, No drink wine, 

Ni comer tocino." No taste swine.) 

He then handed the wine to the old 
Moor, who drank it off, and then, led 
by the boy, made for the door without 
saying a word. 

" Hade mushe halal" (that is not law- 
ful), said I to him with a loud voice. 

" Cul shee halal" (everything is law- 
ful), said the old Moor, turning his 
sightless and spectacled eyes in the di- 
rection from which my voice reached 
him. " Of everything' which God has 
given, it is lawful for the children of 
God to partake/' 

"Who is that old man?'' said I to 
Pascual Fava, after the blind and the 
leader of the blind had departed. " Who 
is he ! said Pascual ; " who is he ! 
He is a merchant now, and keeps a 
shop in the Siarrin, but there was a 
time when no bloodier pirate sailed out 
of Algier. That old blind wretch has 
cut more throats than he has hairs in 
his beard. Before the French took the 



place he was the rais or captain of a 
frigate, and many was the poor Sardi 
nian vessel which fell into his hands 
After that affair he fled to Tangier, and 
it is said that he brought with him a 
great part of the booty which he had 
amassed in former times. Many other 
Algerines came hither also, or to Te- 
tuan, but he is the strangest guest of 
them all. He keeps occasionally very 
extraordinary company for a Moor 
and is rather over intimate with the 
Jews. Well, that's no business of 
mine; only let him look to himself. 
If the Moors should once suspect him, 
it were all over with him. Moors and 
Jews, Jews and Moors ! Oh my poor 
sins, my poor sins, that brought me to 
live amongst them ! — 

Ave Maris stella, 
Dei Mater alma, 
Atque semper virgo, 
Felix coeli porta !' " 

He was proceeding in this manner 
when I was startled by tne sound of a 
musket. 

" That is the retreat," said Pascual 
Fava. 64 It is fired every night in the 
soc at half-past eight, and it is the sig- 
nal for suspending all business, and 
shutting up. I am now going to close 
the doors, and whosoever knocks, I 
shall not admit them till I know their 
voice. Since the murder of the poor 
Genoese last year, we have all been 
particularly cautious* 

Thus had passed Friday, the sacred 
day of the Moslems, and the first which 
I had spent in Tangier. I observed 
that the Moors followed their occupa- 
tions as if the day had nothing particu- 
lar in it. Between twelve and one, the 
hour of prayer in the mosque, the gates 
of the town were closed, and no one 
permitted either to enter or go out 
There is a tradition current amongst 
them, that on this day, and at this hour, 
their eternal enemies, the Nazarenes, 
will arrive to take possession of their 
country ; on which account they hold 
themselves prepared against a surprisal. 



THE 



END 



